Personal

Born: 10 November 1961, Kliptown, Johannesburg

Wife: Rochelle Francis

Three children

Education

Matric: Noordgesig Senior Secondary School, Johannesburg

BA (1982):University of the Witwatersrand

LLB (1984): University of the Witwatersrand

Professional History

Advocate Johannesburg Bar: July 1985 — January 2010 Senior Counsel: November 2005 —

➢ Acting Judge High Court (WLD, now GLD) Johannesburg: 1999, 26 July — 24 September 2000, 4 September — 3 October 2001, September 2004, 4 October — 15 October 2005, 15 August — 2 September 2006, 21 August -- 1 September 2008, 19 May - 20 June 2009, 18 May —19 June

➢ Acting Judge Labour Court: 2001, 30 July — 31 August 2003, 14 April —16 May

➢ High Court Judge (Gauteng Local Division)1 February 2010 — present

➢ Acting Judge Labour Appeal Court: 2012 — Two terms, 2013 — Two terms, 2014 — Two terms

➢ Judge of the Labour Appeal Court 2014 —

➢ Acting Judge Supreme Court of Appeal 1 December 2016 — 31 May 2017, 1 December 2023 – 31 March 2024, 01 April -31 May 2024

➢ Acting Judge Supreme Court of Appeal 1 June - 30 September 2024, 01 October - November 30 2024

➢ Appointed Judge of Supreme Court of Appeal 1 December 2024 - 

Publication Awards, Honours and Other Activities

Accounting teacher (standards 6 and 7): Noordgesig SSS: 1979

Pupil: Johannesburg Society of Advocates: January — to June 1985

Lecturer (Faculty of Law) University of Witwatersrand: January 1994 — June 1994 Small Claims Court Commissioner —

Member of the executive committee of the Medical and Dental Professional Board: 1 April 2000 —2004

Member of the Medical and Dental Professional Board: 2004 - 2007 Member of the Black Advocates Forum (Johannesburg Bar) Member of Advocates for Transformation (AFT) (Johannesburg Bar) Member of the Motion Court Committee (GLD) +- 2011 -

Personal                                                                                

05 November 1958; Herschel, District of Sterkspruit

Wife: Naomi Josephine

Two children

Education

Matric: (1976) Maria Louw High School, Queenstown

BA (Law) degree (1979) University of the Western Cape

LLB degree (1981) Rhodes University

Diploma in Advanced Labour Law (1989), University of Cape Town

Professional

Articles of clerkship with attorney TM Mdlalana: 1982 - 1984

Admitted attorney: 1984

Smith Tabata and Van Heerden Attorneys: 1984 - 1996

Smith Tabata Inc. (Incorporating Barnes & Ross): 1996 - 2007

CEO of Smith Tabata Inc: 2007 - 2010

Various acting appointments (Grahamstown and Bisho High Courts): 1998 - 2010

Appointed as Judge of the High Court, Eastern Cape Division (Grahamstown): July 2010- June 2024

Acting Judge, Supreme Court of Appeal: 01 October 2021 - 31 March 2022

Acting Judge, Supreme Court of Appeal: 01 April 2024 - 31 May 2024, 01 June - 30 September 2024

Appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal: 01 July 2024 to date

Other activities

Secretary of the Eastern Cape Democratic Lawyers Association: 1983 to 1985

Vice-President of NADEL (National): 1989 to 1990

National General Secretary of NADEL: 1990 to 1992

Chairperson of the Eastern Cape Housing Board: 1997 to 1999

National Trustee of the Legal Resources Centre: 1992 to 1996

Trustee of Afesis-Corplan Community Organisation: 1992 – 1997

President of Border Kei Chamber of Commerce: 2007 to 2010

Chairperson of Ministerial Commission of Inquiry into transformation in SA cricket: 2001

Personal:

Born 13 September 1959, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.

Two children

Education:

Matric: Gert Maritz, PMB.

B Com: University of Natal, 1980

LLB: University of Natal, 1982

Professional History:

Candidate Attorney 1985 to 1986

Attorney, Notary Public and Conveyancer: 1987 – 1988

Advocate: 1988 – 2006

Senior Counsel: 1998

Acting judge of the High Court, KZN periodically - 2004 to 2005.

Judge of High Court, KZN: 1 November 2006 to date.

Acting Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 December 2014 – 31 March 2015

Acting Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 December 2019 – 31 May 2020

Acting Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 October 2023 – 30 November 2023

Acting Judge of Appeal Supreme Court of Appeal: 01 April - 31 May 2024, 01 June - 30 September 2024, 01 October - 30 November 2024

Appointed Judge of Supreme Court of Appeal: 01 December 2024 to date

Other Professional Activities:

Part-time lecturer: Contract and Civil Procedure, University of Natal 1990 – 1995

Member of the Law School Board, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg: 1996

Member of Society of Advocates: 1988 – 2006

Vice Chair of Pietermaritzburg Society of Advocates: 2003 -2004

Chair of Pietermaritzburg Society of Advocates: 2005

Past member of council of Pietermaritzburg Community Chest