Justice Lee Bozalek is the current Inspecting Judge of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS), having assumed office on 1 January 2026.
He studied at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, where he obtained BComm and LLB degrees. While in practice, he pursued further studies on a part-time basis, earning a postgraduate diploma in labour law from the University of Cape Town, which was later converted into an LLM.
Judge Bozalek was admitted as an attorney and practised for extended periods at Mallinick, Ress, Richman and Closenberg, as well as at the Legal Resources Centre (LRC). He later served as Regional Director of the Cape Town office of the LRC, a position he held for approximately seven years.
In 1992, he was admitted as an advocate of the High Court of South Africa. Following this, he acted as a Commissioner for the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
Back
In 2003, Judge Bozalek was appointed as a judge of the Western Cape High Court, where he served for 18 years. During his tenure on the Bench, he delivered a number of noteworthy and influential judgments across various areas of law.
Throughout his judicial career, Judge Bozalek has demonstrated a sustained and active interest in the conditions within correctional centres. As a judge, he frequently conducted unannounced inspections and authored reports addressing conditions of detention and the treatment of inmates. This longstanding engagement with correctional oversight and human rights now underpins his role as Inspecting Judge of JICS.
JICS is an independent oversight body tasked with overseeing the correctional operations of the Department of Correctional Services and protecting the rights of all incarcerated persons. JICS reports to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services and the Minister of Correctional Services.
349 Witch-Hazel Avenue, Eco-Origin Park – Block C3, Highveld, Centurion, 0157
Email: Complaints@jics.gov.za
Phone: (012) 321 0303