Personal

Born on 10 July 1967, Kimberley

Married

Children and grandchildren

Education

Matric: Hoërskool Suid-Natal, Port Shepstone (1985

B. luris: University of the Free State (1988)

LL. B (Postgraduate) (cum laude): University of the Free State (2001)

Professional Career

Academic Assistant: Faculty of Law, University of the Free State (1988 - 1989)

Law Reporter: Volksblad Newspaper (1989 - 1990)

First female Legal Officer in the Free State: South African National Defence Force (1992 - 1994)

Ad hoc Assessor in criminal cases: Free State Division of the High Court (1995 - 2000)

Part-time Lecturer: Faculty of Law, University of the Free State (2002)

Practising Advocate: Free State Society of Advocates (2002 - 2015)

Acting Judge: Free State Division of the High Court (various appointments from October 2013 - 2015)

Appointed as Judge of the Free State Division of the High Court: 1 January 2016

Acting Deputy Judge President: Free State Division of the High Court (19 July 2021 - 17 September 2021; 11 April 2022 - 17 June 2022; 18 July 2022 - 16 September 2022; 2 October 2023 - 30 November 2023; 14 April 2025 - 20 June 2025; 6 October 2025 - 30 November 2025)

Appointed Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal: 01 June - 30 September 2026

Other activities                                                                        

Committee Member: Juridical Society of the University of the Free State (1987 - 1988)

Honorary Secretary: Council of the Free State Society of Advocates (2012)

Council Member (Ministerial Appointment): University of the Free State (2018 - 2022)

Member of the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges (SAC-IAWJ): (2016 to date)

SAC-IAWJ Provincial Coordinator Free State Province: (2018 - 2021)

Personal

Born: 17 August 1968, Montshioa

Wife: Happy Masondo

Children: A son

Education

Matriculation (1986): Kebalepile High School, Montshioa

Post-Matric (1988): Milton Academy

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Immunology & Microbiology (1992): Stanford University

Master of Science (MSc) in Physiology (1995): The Queen’s College, University of Oxford

Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) (1998): University of Cape Town

Professional history

Candidate Attorney: Edward Nathan & Friedland Inc. (1999)

Candidate Attorney: Bowman Gilfillan Inc. (2000)

Admitted as an attorney (22 May 2001)

Associate, White & Case LLP (2001- 2002)

Senior Legal Advisor, Nedbank Limited (January 2003 – June 2003)

Pupil, Johannesburg Society of Advocates (June 2023 – December 2003)

Admitted as an Advocate of the High Court (23 September 2003)

Member, The Johannesburg Society of Advocates (8 December 2003 to 31December 2023)

Acting Judge in the Labour Court (2014, and several sessions thereafter)

Acting Judge in the High Court (Gauteng Local Division) (Term 3, 2022; 24 – 31 March 2023)

Acting Judge in the High Court (Gauteng Provincial Division) (Term 3,2023)

Judge in the High Court (Gauteng Division, Pretoria) (1 January 2024 to date)

Acting Judge in the Labour Appeal Court (Term 4, 2024; Term 1, 2025)

Acting Judge: Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 April - 31 May 2026

Acting Judge: Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 June - 30 November 2026

Awards, Honours, and Other Activities

Semi-finalist, “Moving Up Quiz” (1986)

Awarded a scholarship for studies at Milton Academy, Milton, Massachusetts (1987)

Awarded a University Scholarship for studies at Stanford University (1988)

Junior Research Assistant at the Centre for AIDS Research (Stanford University) (1989 – 1992)

Vice-President, Stanford University Africa Society (1989- 1990)

Elected a Fellow of the Haas Centre for Public Service, Stanford University (1990)

Volunteer, Stanford AIDS Volunteer Educators Project, Stanford University (1990 – 1992)

Awarded the Ford Foundation Undergraduate Research Award (1991)

Tutor, English-in-Action Program, Stanford University (1991 – 1992)

Awarded the Rhodes Scholarship for studies at Oxford University (1992)

Vice-President, Oxford University Africa Society (1994)

Awarded the University Council Bursary, University of Cape Town, for LL.B. studies (1996)

Researcher at the Legal Resources Centre, Cape Town (1996)

Tutor in Cell Biology in the Departments of Zoology and Botany at the University of Cape Town (1996 – 1998)

Awarded the Orlin Foundation Bursary for LL.B. studies (1997)

Student Advisor at the Legal Aid Clinic, University of Cape Town (1997)

Research Assistant, Constitutional Litigation Unit of the Legal Resources Centre, Johannesburg (1997)

Founding Member, “Perspective”, a student publication in the Law School, University of Cape Town (1997)

Awarded the Sonneberg Hoffmann & Galombik Inc. Prize (1998)

Secretary, the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee for Botswana, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (1999 to date)

Elected as an Aspen Institute Scholar (2002)

Recognised as a Nedcor Corporate Achiever (2003)

Member of the Water Tribunal (2007 – 2010)

Advocacy trainer for pupils, Johannesburg Society of Advocates (2010 to date)

Member of the University Council, Durban University of Technology (2011)

Trustee, Kyalami Estates Homeowners Association (2012, 2016)

Trustee, Tribeca Body Corporate

Recommended by the Johannesburg Bar for senior counsel status (May 2015)

Awarded Letters Patent (Silk) (2018)

Member of the Global Advisory Board, Knight-Hennessy Scholars, Stanford University (2019 to date)

Publications:

“DNA-Typing as a Forensic Tool: Applications and Implications for Civil Liberties” (1997). Published in the South African Journal on Human Rights, Vol 13 Part 4.

“Why Investigations into Violations of Socio-Economic Rights are a Proper area of Enquiry by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission” (1998). Published in Responsa Meridiana.

“The Place of Biotechnology in the European Community (1999). Published in the South African Journal of International Law, Vol 24

“Water Rights”, a chapter published in ‘Resource Manual: Socio-Economic Rights in South Africa’ (2000) (Eds. S. Liebenberg and K. Pillay). Published by the Socio-Economic Rights Project, Community Law Centre, University of the Western Cape.

“Yahoo! In Cyberspace: A World without Frontiers and the 21^st Century’s Equivalent of the Wild West? (January-February 2002). Published in ‘De Rebus’

Personal

17 July 1962

Spouse: Nontlahla Zilwa

Education:

Matric (1979) Tsomo Senior Secondary School

B.luris (1984) University of Transkei

LLB (1987) University of Transkei

Professional History:

Public Prosecutor in Transkei lower courts (1984-1986)

Magistrate in Transkei Lower Courts (1987-1991)

State Advocate in Transkei Supreme Court (1992)

Practised as Advocate in the High Court (1993-2014)

Various acting stints as acting Judge in the High Court

Various acting stints as acting Judge in the Labour Court from 1997

Attained the status of Senior Counsel in the Superior Courts of South Africa (2015 - May 2020)

Judge of the High Court, Eastern Cape Division, Bisho (June 2020 to date)

Acing Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 April - 31 May 2026

Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 June - 30 September 2026

Awards, Honours and Other Activities:

Member of the Eastern Cape Pupilage Training Committee under the auspices of the General Council of the Bar (GCB)in Oxford, United Kingdom.

Lectured at the then University of Transkei as a volunteer lecturer and Moot Court co-ordinator. Accompanied trained students to participate in an international Moot Court competition in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Chairperson of Vela Private School Board in Mthatha for 6 years.

Chairperson of the Mthatha Hospital Board for 4 years.

Chancellor and a Board of Trustees member of the Anglican Diocese of Mthatha since 2015.

Personal

Born on 13 November 1968

Married

Two sons

Education

• Matric: Floors Secondary School, Kimberley (Northern Cape) 1986
• BA: University of Witwatersrand 1991
• LLB: University of Witwatersrand 1993
• Diplomas obtained in conjunction with University of Pretoria and the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa (AFSA) in 2003:

International Commercial Arbitration

Mediation

Arbitration

Labour Dispute Resolution

Diploma in Alternative Dispute Resolution (cum laude)

• Qualified mediator certificate – Geneva Institute of Social Service, Switzerland (2019)
• Negotiation and Leadership certificate - Harvard Law School, Boston, USA, 2019
• Certificate in Blockchain and Digital Currency - University of Cape Town, 2021
• Certificate in third party compensation in cooperation with the Multilateral Motor Vehicle Accident Fund and the University of Pretoria, 1995

Professional History

• Admitted as an advocate, Pretoria Society of Advocates 1996 and practising member - 1996 to January 2022 (25 years)
• Silk status conferred by the President of South Africa on 23 November 2015
• Acting Judge from 2013 to 2021 (completed 52 weeks)
• Permanent judge (Gauteng Division) - February 2022 to present
• Chairperson of the Tax Board - 2013 to 2018
• Member and co-chair of the Appeal Board of the Financial Services Board, 2009-2018
• Member and co-chair of the Appeal Board of the Financial Intelligence Centre from 2011 – 2018
• Member and co-chair of the Financial Services Tribunal 2018 – 2021
• Member of the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa from 2003 – 2021
• Member of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (2008)
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (2013)
• Member of the Legal Practice Council (LPC) and served on the Transformation, Audit and Risk, Appeals and Benevolent Fund Committees
• Member of the Institute of Commercial Forensic Practitioners
• Member of the South African Women Lawyers Association (SAWLA) until 2021
• Member of PABASA (Pan African Bar Association of South Africa) until 2021
• Member of the Council for Medical Scheme (CMS), Deputy Chair of the CMS, and chair of the Appeals Committee of the CMS 2015-2020
• Member and Chair of the Transformation Committee of the Pretoria Society of Advocates
• Chair of the Club Advocates Chambers (2017 to 2021)
• Currently serve on the Intellectual Property and Tax, Mediation, Commercial Court, Tea Club and Library and Wellness Committees at the Gauteng High Court
• Acting Judge: Supreme Court of AppealL: 01 April - 31 May 2026
• Acting Judge: Supreme Court of Appeal: 01 June - 30 September 2026