THE BENCH
Official Newsletter of the Judicial Officers Alliance of South Africa
Seventh Edition · October 2026
The Bench Crossword: Nobel Peace Prize & Justice
A light puzzle in honour of Judge Navi Pillay and the ideals of international justice
Complete the grid using the clues below. Answers will appear in the next edition.
Across
1. The city of Judge Pillay’s birth (6) 4. The international court on which she has served as an ad hoc judge (3) 6. The Rwandan tribunal she once presided over (4) 8. The prize awarded to her in October 2026 (5) 10. The principle she has championed throughout her career (4 of law)
Down
2. The province in which she opened her first law practice (5) 3. The island on which she secured rights for political prisoners (6) 5. The UN office she headed from 2008 to 2014 (Human Rights Commissioner) 7. The crime whose definition as genocide she helped establish (4) 9. The year she became the first non-white woman High Court judge (4)
Answers will appear in the next edition. We invite colleagues to submit completed puzzles to the JASA secretariat.
Judicial Officers Alliance of South Africa · Upholding Justice, Promoting Equity, Fostering Unity Page 15