Summary
The Hon. Chief Justice emphasized the importance of preparing African judiciaries to effectively respond to emerging legal and constitutional challenges arising from artificial intelligence and digital technologies in electoral processes.
Full Speech
In his address during the Africa Electoral Justice Network (AEJN) Pilot Training for Judges on Artificial Intelligence and Electoral Justice, the Hon. Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala highlighted the growing impact of artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and electronic electoral systems on electoral governance and the administration of justice across Africa.
The Hon. Chief Justice reflected on the collaborative efforts undertaken during his tenure as Chairperson of the Southern and Eastern Africa Chief Justices Forum (SEACJF), where AEJN, together with regional and international judicial partners, developed the Toolkit on Artificial Intelligence and Electoral Justice for use by judges and electoral courts across the continent. He noted that the toolkit seeks to strengthen judicial capacity in addressing legal, ethical, and technical issues arising from AI-related electoral disputes.
He further expressed appreciation that the Kingdom of Eswatini was selected as one of the pilot jurisdictions for the training programme, together with Nigeria and Senegal, and stated that Eswatini would become the first African country to host the specialised judicial training on AI and Electoral Justice.
The Hon. Chief Justice also welcomed the participation of distinguished judges, judicial education experts, and legal practitioners from across Africa, emphasizing that the training would contribute significantly to judicial preparedness, institutional learning, and the strengthening of electoral justice systems within an increasingly digital environment.
The Hon. Chief Justice reflected on the collaborative efforts undertaken during his tenure as Chairperson of the Southern and Eastern Africa Chief Justices Forum (SEACJF), where AEJN, together with regional and international judicial partners, developed the Toolkit on Artificial Intelligence and Electoral Justice for use by judges and electoral courts across the continent. He noted that the toolkit seeks to strengthen judicial capacity in addressing legal, ethical, and technical issues arising from AI-related electoral disputes.
He further expressed appreciation that the Kingdom of Eswatini was selected as one of the pilot jurisdictions for the training programme, together with Nigeria and Senegal, and stated that Eswatini would become the first African country to host the specialised judicial training on AI and Electoral Justice.
The Hon. Chief Justice also welcomed the participation of distinguished judges, judicial education experts, and legal practitioners from across Africa, emphasizing that the training would contribute significantly to judicial preparedness, institutional learning, and the strengthening of electoral justice systems within an increasingly digital environment.