JSC Mourns the Loss of Pioneering Judge Justice Ma...

JSC Mourns the Loss of Pioneering Judge Justice Mavis Dorothy Gibson

The Judicial Service Commission has announced the passing of Zimbabwe’s first black female High Court Judge, Honourable Justice Mavis Dorothy Gibson (née Gumede), who died in London, England, on 21 May 2025, at the age of 85. She succumbed to cancer after a lifetime of groundbreaking service to the judiciary in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

In a condolence message, Chief Justice Luke Malaba, alongside the JSC, Judges, Magistrates, and judicial staff, hailed Justice Gibson as a trailblazer whose career “left an indelible mark on our nation’s legal landscape.” Appointed to Zimbabwe’s Administrative Court on 1 March 1984, she ascended to the High Court bench just weeks later on 15 May 1984. Over her 12-year tenure, she became renowned for her unwavering commitment to fairness and equity.

After resigning from Zimbabwe’s High Court in 1996, Justice Gibson joined the Namibian Judiciary, serving until her retirement in 2001. She then relocated to England, where she resided until her death.

Tributes poured in for the late judge, with the JSC emphasizing her “esteemed career dedicated to the pursuit of justice” and her role in inspiring future legal practitioners. Colleagues remembered her as a principled jurist whose rulings often balanced compassion with rigor, shaping precedents in administrative and civil law.

Born in 1940, Justice Gibson broke barriers in a male-dominated field, paving the way for women in Southern Africa’s judiciary. Her legacy, the JSC noted, will endure through the countless lives she impacted and the values of integrity she championed.

Burial arrangements are pending and will be announced by the family in due course. Memorials are expected across Zimbabwe and Namibia, honoring a figure whose life symbolized resilience and transformative justice.