President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has credited the late former Chief Justice Gert Johannes Cornelius Strydom with helping build an independent Judiciary and strengthening Namibia’s constitutional institutions during the formative years of independence.
Strydom has been eulogised as a distinguished figure whose service to the justice system left a lasting legacy. His contribution to the administration of justice and the upholding of the rule of law in Namibia, both as a judge and as Chief Justice, helped shape the country’s legal system and uphold its standards of justice internationally.
These sentiments were echoed by speakers at his State funeral on Friday, which was attended by dignitaries, fellow members of the Judiciary, family, friends and mourners from across the nation.
Speaking at Strydom’s State funeral at Pioneerspark Cemetery in Windhoek on Friday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said his contribution came at a critical stage in the country’s history, when Namibia was establishing a justice system designed to protect citizens’ rights after years of injustice.
She said Strydom was among those who helped lay the foundation for a justice system grounded in the Constitution, fairness and respect for human dignity.
“Our people had endured a system in which the law too often served injustice. An independent Namibia required a justice system in which every person could seek protection and expect to be treated with dignity and fairness,” the President said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah described Strydom as an institution-builder whose work formed part of Namibia’s transition to constitutional government, adding that his contribution deserved the nation’s respect and gratitude.
“He was an institution-builder whose work formed part of Namibia’s transition to constitutional government. That contribution deserves the respect and gratitude of our nation,” she stated.
She said his service extended beyond the courts to the development of institutions that enabled Namibians to exercise their democratic rights and participate in the governance of their country.
Service credit
As the first chairperson of the Delimitation Commission, which divided Namibia into regions and constituencies, and the Electoral Commission of Namibia, Strydom played a role in overseeing the country’s first Regional and Local Authority Elections in 1992.
“No doubt he contributed significantly to the arrangements that enabled citizens to be represented and to participate in the governance of their country,” the President added.
Strydom continued serving the Judiciary after his retirement, including as an acting judge of the Supreme Court until 2015.
“These milestones tell us something of the scope of his service. Their deeper meaning lies in the continuity he provided as our constitutional institutions took root and matured,” she stated. Nandi-Ndaitwah said his work alongside other members of the judiciary helped develop an independent and impartial justice system through the interpretation and application of the Constitution and the country’s laws, strengthening public confidence in the rule of law.
She stressed that preserving judicial independence remained essential to ensuring that constitutional rights were respected and protected in the daily lives of Namibians.
“We honour that legacy by upholding the independence of our judiciary and ensuring that the rights enshrined in our Constitution have meaning in the lives of all Namibians,” she said.
Accessible justice
The President also highlighted Strydom’s concern for access to justice, particularly for people who could not afford legal representation.
She said his commitment to the legal profession and the sharing of his knowledge and experience continued beyond his retirement, reflecting a dedication to public service that extended beyond his years in office. “His concern for access to justice remains an enduring part of his contribution to our country,” she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah said Strydom’s legacy would live through the institutions he helped build, the legal principles he helped shape and the generations of legal professionals who would continue the work to which he dedicated his life.
She urged Namibians to preserve the values he served and ensure that the country’s justice system continued to protect the rights of all citizens.
A family’s loss
While paying tribute to Strydom’s public service, Nandi-Ndaitwah acknowledged the personal loss suffered by his wife, Maria Magdalena Strydom, his children and the rest of the family.
She said the nation mourned a distinguished jurist, while his family had lost a husband, father and loved one whose presence could not be replaced.
“The nation mourns a distinguished jurist. You mourn a husband, a father, and a loved one whose presence was part of your daily lives,” she said.
On behalf of the government and the people of Namibia, the President extended her condolences to the bereaved family and wished them strength and peace during their time of grief. She said the country remained grateful for Strydom’s life of public service and dedication to justice, urging the family to find comfort in the love they shared with him and in the knowledge that his contribution would remain part of Namibia’s history.
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