Personal Details

9 March 1963

Female

 

Education

Matric- Kingswood College – 1980

Bachelor of Arts University of Cape Town – 1983

Bachelor of Laws [LLB] Rhodes University -1985

 

Professional

 

Articles of clerkship Syfret Godlonton-Fuller Moore (since incorporated into Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyer Inc) -1986 to 1987

Admitted as attorney in Western Cape High Court – 12 February 1997

Professional Assistant Syfret Godlonton-Fuller Moore, litigation department -1988

Professional Assistant Balsillie Watermeyer and Cawood (since incorporated into Strauss Daly Inc), litigation department -1989 to 1991

Partner Balsillie Watermeyer and Cawood -1991 to 1994

Associate Miller Gruss Katz and Traub, family law department – January to September 1995

Consultant Balsillie Watermeyer and Cawood – 1995 to end March 2001

Director Miller Du Toit Cloete Inc - April 2001 to June 2011

Acting Judge Western Cape High Court – October 2010 to February 2013

Judge of the Western Cape High Court – 15 February 2013 to date

Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal: 01 October 2025 - 30 November 2025

 

Other

 

Various pro bono and public interest commitments, including law clinics in Athlone, Cape Town and Legal Aid Clinic Rhodes University -1981 to 1985

Member Southern Suburbs Attorneys Association, including Bar/Side Bar liaison committee, and liaison committee with Judiciary and Chief Magistrate, Wynberg – 1991 to 1994

Pro bono work for Child Welfare – 1991 to 2010

Accreditation as mediator, South African Association of Mediators -1998

Accreditation as member of Family Law Mediation Panel of AFSA – 2001

Member Board of Governors, Llandudno Primary School--2002 to 2006

Accreditation as mediator, FAMAC - 2008

Accreditation as facilitator, FAMAC -2009

Co-host (Miller du Toit Cloete Inc) with University of the Western Cape, International Family Law Conference – 2002 to 2010

Member of International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates [IAYFJM] – 2002 to 2013

Only South African member of Council of IAYFJM – 2010 to 2013

Participant by invitation in Law Commission workshop on proposed Domestic Partnership legislation – 2007

Participant by invitation in Law Commission workshop on proposed implementation of compulsory mediation in family law disputes – 2008

At invitation of Women’s Legal Centre, assisted representatives of Ghanian Judiciary and Parliament in drafting Matrimonial Property legislation – 2008

Founder and panel member of Family Advocacy for Child Welfare, Hout Bay area – 2009 to 2011

Highest achiever out of 16 attorneys selected nationally for Civil Judicial Skills Training Course presented by LSSA – January 2010

Member South African Network of Judges on Hague Matters since June 2013, currently a member of its International Network and the senior Hague Judge in the Western Cape Division

Equality Court Judge since January 2014

Member Practice Committee of Western Cape Division since 2021 and drafter of its Practice Directives on Hague Convention and Surrogacy matters, as well as those generally where minor children are involved in litigation