SADC Tribunal

On 18 November 2005 the Tribunal was inaugurated and the members were sworn in by Peter Shivute, chief justice of Namibia of the Namibian Supreme Court.

Following this decision, Zimbabwe pulled out of the SADC Tribunal, challenging its legitimacy.

[5] The 2010 SADC summit then ordered a review of the "functions and [...] terms of reference of the SADC Tribunal",[6] a step that a group of legal and human rights organizations describes as "virtually suspending" this inter-regional court.

During this time of reorganisation the Tribunal had only four of ten judges appointed and did not accept nor hear any cases.

The SADC resolution was described as effectively "neuter[ing]" the Tribunal, and has been condemned by various groups.

A yellow and white neo-classicist building in bright sunlight. The roof of corrugated iron sheets is painted dark red, on the main gable the inscriptions read "A.D.1913" and "SADC Tribunal". Seven flagpoles with national flags of countries from the Southern African Development Community are mounted onto the pavement in front of the building.
Windhoek's historic Turnhalle building, seat of the SADC Tribunal