Personal:    

Born 5 December 1971

Husband: Samuel Phetla Two children

Education:       

Matric (1989) Centurion Academy, Johannesburg

B Proc (1995) Wits University, Johannesburg

LLM Human Rights and Constitutional Practice (1997) University of Pretoria

Master of Public Administration, Harvard University, Cambridge MA USA, 2005

Mason Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge MA USA, 2005

Professional History:

Attorney of the High Court of South Africa: 1997 - 2015

Acting Judge of the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Johannesburg, various terms between 2nd term 2013 and 4th term 2015

Judge of the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Johannesburg: 1 January 2016 to date

Member of the Special Tribunal of South Africa 2019 to April 2022

President of the Special Tribunal of South Africa 1 May 2022 to 30 June 2024

Judge member of the Electoral Court of South Africa, 1 January 2022 to date.

Acting Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 December 2024 to 31 March 2025, 01 April 2025 - 31 May 2025, 01 June 2025 - 30 September 2025

Publications, Awards, Honours and other activities:

Completed the Association of Law Societies’ Practical Legal Course with Outstanding performance, 1996

Harvard-South Africa Scholarship, 2004

Member of the Black Lawyers Association: 2008 to 2015

Personal 

 Born: 23 May 1959, Johannesburg

Wife: Christine Bonner

Education

Matric: Nirvana High School, Lenasia (1976)

B.Com: University of Witwatersrand (1981)

BA (Hons) Industrial Sociology: University of Witwatersrand (1982)

MA Sociology of Labour Studies: University of Warwich, UK (1984)

LLM Labour Law: University of Witwatersrand (1993)

LLB: University of Witwatersrand (1995)

Professional History

Tutor in Medical Sociology: University of Witwatersrand (1982-83)

Junior Lecture: Sociology Department: University of Witwatersrand (1989-90)

Organiser/Educator: Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union SA (1985-86)

Mediator: Independent Mediation Services of SA (IMSSA) (1991-96)

Arbitrator: IMSSA (1993-96)

Senior Commisioner: CCMA (1996-2002)

Practicing Advocate, Johannesburg Bar (1996-2012): Senior Counsel (2010)

Acting Judge: South Gauteng High Court: (Oct-Dec 2010)

Judge of the High Court of South Africa (May 2012 - present)

Acting Judge: Competition Court Appeal (April 2016 - May 2018)

Judge: Competition Court Appeal (May 2018 - April 2023)

Acting Judge President: Competition Court Appeal (June 2022 - 30 November 2022)

Acting Judge: Competition Court Appeal (April 2023 - present)

Acting Judge: Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 December 2024 - 31 March 2025, 01 April - 31 May 2025

Publications, Awards, Honours and other activities

British Council Scholarship (1986)

Academic Staff Association: WITS University- Executive member and Chairman of the Affirmitive Action sub-committee (1990)

IMSSA Balloting Panel member (1991-95)

IMSSA Member of Board of Trustees (1993-94)

Chairperson of Commision of Enquiry into certain allegations regarding management practices in the Soweto  districy of Eskom (1996)

Metal and Engineering Imdustries Bargaining Council: Exemption Committee ( 1996-2003)

Essential Services Committee (1999-2206), Chairperson (2000-06)

Education Labour Relarions Council, Arbitration Panel member (2000-09)

Member of Black Advocates Forum (BAFO) (1996-2003)

Member of Advocates for Transformation: Executive Committee Member (2003-12), Treasurer (2010-12)

Member: Johannesburg Society of Advocates  (1996-2012), Professional committee member (1996-2012)

Financial Manager, Group 16 (1999-2002), Duma Nokwe (2005-07)

Management and and Finance Committee Member: Maisels Chambers (2007-12)

A Social Contract - the way forward a critical evaluation (1992)

"Strikes, Dismisals and Collective Bargaining: A case for a more rational and constructive approach" in South Africa Journal of Labour Relations Vol 16, No 1, March 1992 

" Denying the strike: Seifsa v Numsa" in Employment Law Vol 9, No 3, January 1993

" Paradigms Lost - A search for the Socialogical Perspective", (co-authored with M Saransky) in Saransky M (ed) Social Theory , Lexicon Publishers, 1994

Personal

Born                    :               28 August 1962

Husband             :               Josef Benjamin Steyn

Son & wife          :               Ruan and Michelle Steyn

Grandson            :              Jack Benjamin Steyn

Education

Matric                  :               J J Du Preez High School (1980)

BIuris                   :               University of South Africa (1983)

LLB                      :               University of Western Cape (1994)

LLM                     :               University of Cape Town (1999)

Professional History

• District Court Magistrate and Senior Prosecutor, Department of Justice: (1987-1995)
• Chair of Rape Forum and Juvenile Justice Forum: (1992-1995)
• Convenor of the Criminal Offences Task Team, responsible for drafting the Criminal offences of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998
• Senior Lecturer at University of Cape Town and University of Western Cape: (1996-2007)
• Acting Judge, Northern Cape: (October-December 2008)
• Judge KwaZulu-Natal Division: (January 2009 to date)
• Acting Judge of the Electoral Court: (May 2024 - 31 May 2025)
• Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal (1 April 2025 – 31 May 2025)
• Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal (1 June 2025 - 30 September 2025)
• Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal (1 December 2025 - 31 March 2026)

Honours and other activities

• Vice-Chair of the National Council of Correctional Services (2015 – 2019)
• Member of SAJEI Council (2023 till present)
• Commissioner of Jali Commission (2002 – 2005)
• Convenor of the Criminal Offences Task Team responsible for drafting the criminal offences contained in the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, 121 of 1998
• Distinguished Teachers’ Award UCT (2001)
• Recipient research grant from Aberdeen University Scotland for project ‘Constitutional Criminal Justice: A comparative study’.
• Represented NCCS at APAI Conference March 2019, Baltimore USA.

Publications

• D van Zyl Smit and E Steyn, chapter titled ‘The South African Prison System’, published by J P Cére et C Eduardo (eds) Le systéme pénitentiaire dans le Monde 2 ed (2011) (Dalloz publishers)
• ‘Plea Bargaining in SA: current concerns and future prospects’ (2007) 20 SACJ 206-219
• ‘Do victims of crime play any role at sentencing and do their rights impact on the prison population?’ Paper presented in Teheran, published by the Iran Prison Organisation.
• Jali Commission Report Volumes 1-5, published November 2006, Co-author of the reports.
• D van Zyl Smit and E Steyn ‘Prisons systems of the world’ in J P Cere and C E Japiassu (eds) Le systéme pénitentiaire en Afrique du Sud (Dalloz publishers).
• ‘Undue delay in criminal cases: The Scottish and South African courts response’ (2003) Acta Juridica, 139-159. Also published as a chapter in J Sarkin et al, The Administration of Justice: Current Themes in Comparative Perspective, 153-172 (Four Court Press: Dublin).
• ‘The Draft Anti-terrorism Bill of 2000: The Lobster Pot of the South African Criminal Justice System’ (2001) 14 SACJ 179-194.
• ‘An Evaluation of the SA Constitutional Court’s decision on bail’ – Sarkin, Steyn, Van Zyl Smit and Paschke in ‘Resolving the tension between Crime and Human Rights: An Evaluation of European and South African issues’ edited Sarkin et al, at 217 to 241.
• D van Zyl Smit, E Steyn, J Sarkin and R Paschke ‘Individual liberty in crisis?’ Reflections on the decision of the Consitutional Court in S v Dlamini; S v Dladla and Others; S v Joubert; S v Schietekat (2000) 16 SAJHR 292-312.
• CIJL Prosecuting authority in the new South Africa – D van Zyl Smit and E Steyn.
• ‘A call for the abolition of the ‘hue and cry’ rule’. Published in News and Reviews December edition
• LLM Thesis – ‘Witnesses in South Africa, The Stepchildren of the Criminal Justice System’ (limited publication, libraries UCT only).

Personal

13 January 1964

Male

Education

Matric: (insert date) Spes Bona High School, Cape Town  - 1982

Diploma Juris 1986 University of the Western Cape -1986

B.Proc: University of the Western Cape-1994  

LLB: University of the Western Cape -1995

Professional

District and Regional Court Prosecutor 1990 – 1996

District Court Magistrate 1990 -1997

Regional Magistrate (Wynberg) – 1997 - 2007

Regional Court President for the Western Cape Division of the Regional Court- September 2007 - 2011

Acting Judge, Western Cape High Court: 10 October 2010 – 11 May 2011

Appointed Judge of the Western Cape High Court: 11 May 2011 – date

Acting Judge, Supreme Court of Appeal, 01 April 2025 - 31 May 2025

Acting Judge, Supreme Court of Appeal, 01 June 2025 - 30 September 2025

Memberships and other Official Appointments

Member of JOASA and Provincial Executive Committee of JOASA: 1996- 2000

Member of ARSMA and Member of ARMSA National Executive Committee: 2000-2011

Member of Magistrates' Commission: 2007- 2011

Member of the Local Organising Committee for the CMJA Conference (held in Cape Town): 2008

Chairperson for the Appointment Committee of District Court Magistrates- Cape Town: 2009

Chairperson for the Western Cape Advisory Committee for the Appointment of Sheriffs: 2009

Chairperson for the Lower Courts Case Flow Management Committee: 2007 -2011

Attended the CMJA Conference in the Turks and Caicos Islands as part of the South African Delegation and chaired a session on 'The Judiciary, Parliament And The Press': 2010

Other activities

Peer Facilitator for SAJEI: Training of District, Regional Magistrates and Judges:- Management of Criminal Trials; Hearsay Evidence; Electronic and Documentary Evidence; Judgment Writing incorporating aspects of Social Context; The South African Trafficking in Persons Act with particular reference to the Procedural and Sentencing aspects thereof: The challenges facing judicial officers in South Africa

Member of Western Province Rugby Football Union Disciplinary Committee: 1983 – 1985

Chairperson Western Province Rugby Football Union Disciplinary Committee: 2010

Dated : 22 May 2025