One of seven female researchers appointed at the inception of the Constitutional Court in 1995, Judge Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane clerked for Justice Yvonne Mokgoro.
When appointed to the Gauteng Bench in 2010, she became the first person from the Constitutional Court’s law researcher programme to be appointed to the judiciary. It would be a landmark moment if she were to be the first member of that Constitutional Court cohort of clerks to be appointed to the country’s apex court.
Kathree-Setiloane acted at the Constitutional Court from July to December 2017. Kathree-Setiloane has acted at the Supreme Court of Appeal, the Labour Appeal Court, and the Competition Appeal Court.
She obtained a BA and LLB from the then-University of Natal in 1991 and an LLM from Georgetown University in the United States in 1993. After which, her career has seen her work as in-house counsel at the Legal Resource Centre’s Constitutional Litigation Unit, an advocate at the Johannesburg Bar (1997-2006) and as a lecturer at the University of the Western Cape and the University of Maryland Law School in the United States.
She is currently a board member of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and the Institute of Directors Southern Africa.
Personal details
28 January 1963, Gauteng
Wife: Ellen Vusiwana
Two children
Education
Matric: Mokomene High School - Botlokwa, Limpopo Province B Proc with four distinctions, University of the North
Professional history
- Admitted as an attorney: 1989
- Candidate Attorney and Professional Assistant,SC Mhinga Attorneys: 1985 - 1989
- Practising Attorney (Self-employed),Mathopo Attorneys: 1989 - 2006
- Azanian Students Organisation (Azaso)
- Gauteng Athletic Board Member
- Instructing Attorney - Motsuenyane Commission of Enquiry
- Instructing Attorney - Morapedi Commission of Enquiry
- Tutor, South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJEI) Workshops
- Newly Appointed District Court Magistrates: 2013
- Basic Aspirant Judges Course: 7 – 9 October 2013
- Advanced Aspirant Judges Course: 22 – 24 January 2014
- Basic Aspirant Judges Course: 26 – 28 January 2015
- Acting Judge of the High Court, North and South Gauteng: 2005 (two terms)
- Judge of the High Court, North and South Gauteng: 26 January 2006 – 31 May 2015
- Acting Judge, Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 December 2013 – 1 December 2014
- Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of Appeal: June 2015
- Acting Judge, Constitutional Court: 1 August 2019 – 30 November 2019; 1 February 2020 – 30 November 2020.
- Judge Mathopo was appointed a permanent member of the Constitutional Court from 1 January 2022
Member of legal organizations (past and present):
- Law Society: Member 1989 - 2005
- Black Lawyers Association: Member 1986 - 2005
- Rules and Ethic Committee: Member 2000 - 2005
- Fees Assessment Committee: Member 2000 - 2003
- Gauteng Law Council: Member 2003 - 2005
- Court Practice Committee
- Criminal Law Committee
- MVA Committee
- Housing Tribunal: Mediator
Judges information courtsey of Supreme Court of Appeal(www.supremecourtofappeal.org.za)
Judge Boissie Mbha reached the very high judicial office of Judge of Appeal at the Supreme Court of Appeal, a position of the greatest distinction and stature. This is an outstanding achievement and illustrates that he is widely respected in the legal fraternity. A Judge of Appeal is a clear leader in the field and this honour is bestowed upon a select few among those who have previously reached the career pinnacle of being appointed judges. Judge Mbha is also currently acting as a Justice of the Constitutional Court.
Judge Mbha serves society in the broadest sense through his commitment to constitutional principles and to upholding the rule of law. He has penned important judgments relating to, amongst others, the right to education and the right to work. In addition to the demands of his career, Judge Mbha served in the SANDF reserve force as a Senior Military Judge; was involved in the governance of organised boxing; and still fulfils a leadership role in his church. He is a loyal UJ Law alumnus who is prepared to participate in Faculty activities. He considered pursuing his doctoral studies at the time he got the appointment to the Supreme Court of Appeal and had to relocate to Bloemfontein.
Professional history
Admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa: 1987, Acting Judge of the High Court-Pretoria and Johannesburg: October 2003-October 2004, Appointed permanent Judge of the High Court- Johannesburg: October 2004, Acting Judge of Appeal – Supreme Court of Appeal: October 2012 – May 2013, Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of Appeal: 2014, and Acting Justice of the Constitutional Court: July 2016.
Other activities
Councillor-Law Society of the Northern Provinces Senior Military Judge- SANDF (Reserve-Force), Chancellor-Ethiopian Episcopal Church, President of the All Sports Council at the University of Fort Hare: 1975, Executive Member and Vice-President (African Region): World Boxing Association Executive Member, and Legal Adviser: South African National Boxing Control Commission.