The process of forming a professional association for South African judicial officers started in Johannesburg on 29 February 1996.
The Chief Justice of South Africa, M.M. Corbett, delivered the keynote address during the opening ceremony. He stressed the importance
of a strong and well maintained judicial system. The formation of JOASA took 3 days during which a draft constitution was ironed out by
100 South African judicial officers between 29 February 1996 and 2 March 1996. A steering committee of ten members was elected and took
charge of interim affairs whilst those who attended carried the message of JOASA to their constituencies across South Africa. Provincial
meetings were held in early 1997 to set up regional structures and to nominate representatives who attended the first JOASA Annual
General Conference in Pretoria on 29 February 1997. At this conference Chief Magistrates R.H. Peckham and T.J. Raulinga were
respectively elected as President and Vice-President of JOASA. Magistrates D. vZ. v.d. Merwe and D. Spies were appointed secretary and
treasurer. The Minister of Justice, Dr. A.M. Omar, attended this historic occasion and wished JOASA well. He called for a strong,
independent, single and coherent judiciary. He promised his department's support and quoted section 165(4) of the Constitution, 1996
in that regard. It reads: