Personal:

JP Molemela Picture

18 March 1965, Bloemfontein

Spouse: Sello Molemela

Two children

 

Education:

Matric: Albert Moroka High School, Thaba Nchu

BA: University of Fort Hare

B Proc: University of Fort Hare

Bachelor of Laws (LLB): University of the Free State

Master of Laws (LL M) (in Mercantile Law): University of the Free State

Certificate in Estate Agency (Estate Agency Affairs Board)

Certificate in Advanced Military Law (Thaba Tshwane College, SANDF)

Certificate for participation in the Human Rights Course, Danish Centre for Human Rights, Coppenhagen

Post-grad Diploma in Business Management: Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College

Post-grad Diploma in Advanced Labour Law (University of Johannesburg)

 

Professional History:

Prosecutor at Thaba Nchu Magistrate’s Court (1987) 

Candidate Attorney E G Cooper & Sons; Peete Jake Moloi & Partners
Admitted as an attorney (1993)

Admitted as Conveyancer (May 1996)

Admitted as a Notary (November 1996)

Arbitrator: Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) 1999-2001

Part-time law lecturer: University of the Free State 2001-2003

Practising Attorney (1993 – 2008): Peete, Jake Moloi & Partners, M B Molemela & Partners, Claude Reid Inc, and Smith Tabatha Buchanan Boyes (STBB) (Director),(Johannesburg).

Military Judge: 2004

Acting Judge, Free State Division of the High Court (September - October 2005; October- November 2006; July - September 2007) 
Acting Judge, Gauteng Local Division of the High Court, Johannesburg (Nov 2007 – March 2008)

Permanent Judge, Free State Division of the High Court (July 2008 - date)

Acting Judge, Labour Appeal Court (2012 – 2014)

Acting Judge, Competition Appeal Court (2012 – 2014)

Judge of Appeal, Labour Appeal Court (1 June 2014 – 1 June 2018)

Appointed as the first female Judge President of the Free State Division of the High Court: 1 January 2015
Acting Judge, Constitutional Court (February – May 2015)

Acting Judge, Supreme Court of Appeal (15 February 2016 – 30 September 2017)

Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 June 2018 - 31 May 2023

Appointed as the fourth President of the Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 June 2023

 

Awards, Honours and Other Activities:

Part-time teacher (Criminology): Lediboho Adult Education Centre (1994 – 1995)

Member of the Black Lawyers Association (1989 – 2008)

Council member of the Law Society of the Free State (1995-1999)
Former member of the Board of Control of the Law Society of South Africa’s School for Legal Practice, Free State
Former examiner for the Conveyancing examinations, Law Society of the Free State
Former Development Member of the Board of Control of the Attorneys Fidelity Fund

Delegate participant in the Human Rights training programme presented by the Danish Centre for Human Rights, 1996.

Provincial Commissioners’ Team Leader, CCMA (2000-2001)

Former Chairperson of Centlec Pty Ltd (electricity supplier of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality)

Former Chairperson of the Valuations Court

Former Provincial board member of ABSA Bank Ltd

Former Trustee of the Black Lawyers Association’s Legal Education Centre (BLA LEC)

Former board member of Free State Rural Development Association (non-profit organization) (2000-2004)

Former Council member of the St Rose Parish of the Catholic Church, 2004

Member of the South African Women Lawyers Association (SAWLA) 2007-2008)

Member of the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) (2008 – date)

Participant in a course on the Adjudication of Socio-economic Rights offered by the University of Pretoria (participation certificate awarded)

Delegate participant in the training of Labour Court Judges on Equality in the Workplace, training programme presented in Turin, Italy, by the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2012 (attendance certificate awarded)

Recipient of Recognition Award, Albert Moroka High School, Thaba Nchu

Guest Lecturer on Transformation of the Judiciary to final year students at the University of the Free State, 2012

Presenter of Trial Advocacy: Legal Education Centre (2012 – 2023)

Presenter on Judicial Ethics to newly appointed Judges

Council member of the Central University of Technology (2013 – 2015)

Member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Council of the Central University of South Africa

Chairperson of the Library Committee of the Free State Division of the High Court (2011-2015)

Member of the Judicial Conduct Committee (2015 – 2022)

Member of the Judicial Oversight Committee (2015 – May 2018)

Member of the Visitors Committee of the Constitutional Court (1 February – 31 May 2015)

Chancellor of the Central University of Technology (1 January 2016 – 31 December 2023)

Advisory Board Member: Free State Centre for Human Rights, University of the Free State: 2016 - 2018

Recipient of International Association of Women Judges SA Chapter’s recognition award (Against All Odds), 10 August 2016 and 2 August 2023

Board member of the Free State Symphony Orchestra (FFSO) (2019 - date)

Recognition award: 2019/2020 Country and Regional Winner: CEO Global Africa's Most Influential Women and Business and Government, SADC South

Recipient of the University of the Free State’s recognition award (Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus Award), 5 November 2016

Recipient of the Black Lawyers Association recognition award (Service Excellence Award), 20 October 2017

Recipient of the Black Conveyancers Association recognition award (Transformation Award), 28 October 2017.

Member of the Selection Committee of the South African Judicial Education Institute (2017 – May 2018)

Member of the Council of the South African Judicial Training Institute (June 2023 - date)

Member of the Judicial Services Commission (June 2023- date)