Personal:
18 March 1965, Bloemfontein
Spouse: Sello Molemela
Two children
Education:
Matric: Albert Moroka High School, Thaba Nchu
BA: University of Fort Hare
B Proc: University of Fort Hare
Bachelor of Laws (LLB): University of the Free State
Master of Laws (LL M) (in Mercantile Law): University of the Free State
Certificate in Estate Agency (Estate Agency Affairs Board)
Certificate in Advanced Military Law (Thaba Tshwane College, SANDF)
Certificate for participation in the Human Rights Course, Danish Centre for Human Rights, Coppenhagen
Post-grad Diploma in Business Management: Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Post-grad Diploma in Advanced Labour Law (University of Johannesburg)
Professional History:
Prosecutor at Thaba Nchu Magistrate’s Court (1987)
Candidate Attorney E G Cooper & Sons; Peete Jake Moloi & Partners
Admitted as an attorney (1993)
Admitted as Conveyancer (May 1996)
Admitted as a Notary (November 1996)
Arbitrator: Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) 1999-2001
Part-time law lecturer: University of the Free State 2001-2003
Practising Attorney (1993 – 2008): Peete, Jake Moloi & Partners, M B Molemela & Partners, Claude Reid Inc, and Smith Tabatha Buchanan Boyes (STBB) (Director),(Johannesburg).
Military Judge: 2004
Acting Judge, Free State Division of the High Court (September - October 2005; October- November 2006; July - September 2007)
Acting Judge, Gauteng Local Division of the High Court, Johannesburg (Nov 2007 – March 2008)
Permanent Judge, Free State Division of the High Court (July 2008 - date)
Acting Judge, Labour Appeal Court (2012 – 2014)
Acting Judge, Competition Appeal Court (2012 – 2014)
Judge of Appeal, Labour Appeal Court (1 June 2014 – 1 June 2018)
Appointed as the first female Judge President of the Free State Division of the High Court: 1 January 2015
Acting Judge, Constitutional Court (February – May 2015)
Acting Judge, Supreme Court of Appeal (15 February 2016 – 30 September 2017)
Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 June 2018 - 31 May 2023
Appointed as the fourth President of the Supreme Court of Appeal: 1 June 2023
Awards, Honours and Other Activities:
Part-time teacher (Criminology): Lediboho Adult Education Centre (1994 – 1995)
Member of the Black Lawyers Association (1989 – 2008)
Council member of the Law Society of the Free State (1995-1999)
Former member of the Board of Control of the Law Society of South Africa’s School for Legal Practice, Free State
Former examiner for the Conveyancing examinations, Law Society of the Free State
Former Development Member of the Board of Control of the Attorneys Fidelity Fund
Delegate participant in the Human Rights training programme presented by the Danish Centre for Human Rights, 1996.
Provincial Commissioners’ Team Leader, CCMA (2000-2001)
Former Chairperson of Centlec Pty Ltd (electricity supplier of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality)
Former Chairperson of the Valuations Court
Former Provincial board member of ABSA Bank Ltd
Former Trustee of the Black Lawyers Association’s Legal Education Centre (BLA LEC)
Former board member of Free State Rural Development Association (non-profit organization) (2000-2004)
Former Council member of the St Rose Parish of the Catholic Church, 2004
Member of the South African Women Lawyers Association (SAWLA) 2007-2008)
Member of the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) (2008 – date)
Participant in a course on the Adjudication of Socio-economic Rights offered by the University of Pretoria (participation certificate awarded)
Delegate participant in the training of Labour Court Judges on Equality in the Workplace, training programme presented in Turin, Italy, by the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2012 (attendance certificate awarded)
Recipient of Recognition Award, Albert Moroka High School, Thaba Nchu
Guest Lecturer on Transformation of the Judiciary to final year students at the University of the Free State, 2012
Presenter of Trial Advocacy: Legal Education Centre (2012 – 2023)
Presenter on Judicial Ethics to newly appointed Judges
Council member of the Central University of Technology (2013 – 2015)
Member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Council of the Central University of South Africa
Chairperson of the Library Committee of the Free State Division of the High Court (2011-2015)
Member of the Judicial Conduct Committee (2015 – 2022)
Member of the Judicial Oversight Committee (2015 – May 2018)
Member of the Visitors Committee of the Constitutional Court (1 February – 31 May 2015)
Chancellor of the Central University of Technology (1 January 2016 – 31 December 2023)
Advisory Board Member: Free State Centre for Human Rights, University of the Free State: 2016 - 2018
Recipient of International Association of Women Judges SA Chapter’s recognition award (Against All Odds), 10 August 2016 and 2 August 2023
Board member of the Free State Symphony Orchestra (FFSO) (2019 - date)
Recognition award: 2019/2020 Country and Regional Winner: CEO Global Africa's Most Influential Women and Business and Government, SADC South
Recipient of the University of the Free State’s recognition award (Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus Award), 5 November 2016
Recipient of the Black Lawyers Association recognition award (Service Excellence Award), 20 October 2017
Recipient of the Black Conveyancers Association recognition award (Transformation Award), 28 October 2017.
Member of the Selection Committee of the South African Judicial Education Institute (2017 – May 2018)
Member of the Council of the South African Judicial Training Institute (June 2023 - date)
Member of the Judicial Services Commission (June 2023- date)
