Benchmarks

EDUCATION

Matric St Johns College, Mthatha

B Proc (1986) University of Transkei LLB (1988) University of Natal, Durban LLM (1990) Duke University, NC, US

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY Attorney’s clerk: Dazana Mafungo Inc, Mthatha: 1987-1988

Court interpreter and prosecutor: Magistrate’s court, Mthatha: 1988-1989 Legal policy counsel and lobbyist: Women’s Legal Defense Fund, Washington, DC

Assistant state law adviser: Mthatha, 1991-1993

Pupillage: Johannesburg Bar, 1993

Law Lecturer: University of Transkei, 1993-1995

Practising Advocate: Transkei Bar, 1994-1999

Acting Judge: Cape high court and Mthatha high court, 1999

Judge: Mthatha high court: 2000 Acting Judge: Labour court, Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, Bhisho high courts

Acting Judge: Supreme Court of Appeal, 2005

Judge of Appeal: Supreme Court of Appeal, 2006

Acting Judge: Constitutional Court, January to May 2011

Acting Judge: Supreme Court of Namibia, 2008; Appeal Court, Lesotho, 2015

Deputy President: Supreme Court of Appeal, 2015

Acting President: Supreme Court of Appeal, 2016-May 22 2017

President: Supreme Court of Appeal, June 2017

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Member of the Judicial Service Commission: 2017–

Council Member: South African Judicial Education Institute: 2017–

Founding Member (2002); Deputy President (2008-2010); President

2018 to date: South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges

Regional Director: West and Southern Africa: International Association of Women Judges, 2021

Member: Duke University [US] Bolch Judicial Institute Leadership Council, 2020

Board Member: University of Free State law faculty, 2020

Advisory Board Member: Yearbook of South African Law, 2020

Advisory Board Member: South African Law Journal, 2019

Board Member; National Bar Examinations Board, 2016– Chairperson: South African Law Reform Commission, 2013–

Member: Commonwealth Association of Law Reform Commissions, 2013– Patron: Lawyers Against Violence, 2013–

Trustee: South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public, Human Rights & International Law, 2012

HONOURS AND AWARDS

Duke Law Alumni Association International Award: 2020

LLD (Honoris Causa) Nelson Mandela University: 2018

LLD (Honoris Causa) Walter Sisulu University: 2019

LLD (Honoris Causa) University of Fort Hare: 2020

Editorial Advisory Board Member, South African Law Journal: 2020 South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges Recognition Award for contribution to gender transformation in the judiciary: 2010; 2016

Recipient of the South African Women Lawyers Association History & Icon Programme: 2012

Commonwealth Foundation Fellowship: 2002

Fulbright Scholarship: 1989-1990 Georgetown University Law & Gender Fellowship Program: 1990