 | Professor Sihawukele Ngubane is a linguist and cultural expert of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Onomastic, a branch of Linguistics from the University of Natal. He holds various positions in language related organisations such as Writers Association for IsiZulu books; Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of South Africa; African Languages Association of Southern Africa. Professor Ngubane is a former Chair of Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) and a founding Commissioner for the Commission for the Promotion & Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious & Linguistic Communities and he was also involved in the translation of the South African Constitution from English to IsiZulu. He is an author of fiction and has presented papers in both fiction and non-fiction publications locally and abroad. |
Professor Sihawukele Ngubane
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| Professor Pierre de Vos is the Chair of Claude Leon Foundation in Constitutional Governance in the Department of Public Law at the University of Cape Town. De Vos studied at the University of Stellenbosch, Columbia University (New York), and the University of Western Cape, where he held a professorship. He has published widely in academic journals on issues of constitutional law, on topics that include the right to housing, marriage equality and citizenship rights, and political parties and democracy. He co-edited South African Constitutional Law in Context, which was published by Oxford University Press in 2014. His blog, www.constitutionallyspeaking.co.za, offers constitutional perspective on social and political issues of contemporary South Africa and is widely read and syndicated on the Daily Maverick, one of South Africa’s leading online news platforms. He is widely quoted in the media on constitutional and socio-legal issues. |
Professor Pierre de Vos
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 | Dr Dial Dayana Ndima is the Senior Lecturer and Manager of the Centre for Indigenous Law, College of Law at the University of South Africa. He holds the B.Juris degree from the University of Fort Hare and LLB, LLM and LLD from the University of South Africa. He held various positions including the magistracy, academic positions in other institutions such as the University of Fort Hare, North West University, various chairs and committees. Dr Ndima published papers and chapters in books in indigenous law and his research acumen is evidenced by his participation in national and international conferences where he presented papers in the areas of customary law, jurisprudence and constitutional law. He is the sole author of the book entitled: The Law of Commoners and Kings- Narratives of a Rural Transkei Magistrate (Unisa Press) (2004. |
Dr Dial Dayana Ndima
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 | Professor Thandabantu Nhlapo holds the degree of BA (Law) from the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, an LL.B (Hons) from the University of Glasgow, and a DPhil in Family Laws from Oxford University, and the honorary degree of Doctor of the University from Glasgow University. He is a former senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Cape Town retiring in September with the title of Professor Emeritus. From 2004 to 2007, he was the Chair the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims (which came to be known as the Nhlapo Commission), and before then the Deputy Chief of Mission and Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of South Africa in Washington D.C. Nhlapo was a full-time Commissioner on the South African Law Reform Commission from 1996-2000. As Chair of the Project Committee on Customary Law, he was instrumental in the development of significant legislation in family law, including the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, which was passed by Parliament in 1998. He was Professor and Head of the Department of Private Law at UCT and participated in the constitution-making process as Convenor of the Technical Committee on Traditional Leadership, a committee of experts which advised the Constitutional Assembly on all matters relating to customary law and to traditional authorities. Their work contributed to Chapter 12 of the present Constitution. |
Professor Thandabantu Nhlapo
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 | Dr Nokuzola Mndende holds a PhD in Religious Studies from UCT. She is the President of Icamagu Spirituality, a national NPO for African Traditional Religion (ATR) as an independent religion. A Director of Icamagu Heritage Institute which focuses on the academic development of ATR. She is also a Deputy Chair of the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims. A freelance presenter of ATR program called Ibuzwa Kwabaphambili at Umhlobo Wenene FM. Had been a lecturer of religion at UCT and UNISA, and has presented papers on African Traditional Religion, Comparative Religion and Feminist theology nationally and internationally. Through Icamagu Heritage Institute Icamagu Spirituality now boasts of having the first clergy called iiNjoli. Has also recorded music on Xhosa rituals including the rites of passage. |
Dr Nokuzola Mndende
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 | Professor Chuma Himonga is Professor of Law in the Department of Private Law at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Prof Himonga holds a PhD (1985) and LLM (1978) from London University and an LLB (1976) from the University of Zambia. She holds the Department of Science and Technology/ National Research Foundation Chair in Customary Law, Indigenous Values and Human Rights at UCT. Professor Himonga was a South African National Research Foundation Rated Researcher from 2009-2015. She has collaborated in a number major international and regional academic research projects in Europe and Africa. She was a member of the South African Law Reform Commission Project Committee on Harmonisation of the Common Law and the Indigenous Law. She has served on the founding Board of the International Association of Law Schools (2005-2010).
Her recent publications and joint papers include African Customary law in South Africa Post-Apartheid and Living Law Perspectives (co-edited)(2014) and Reform of Customary Marriage, Divorce and Succession in South Africa: Living Customary Law and Social Realities (2015). |
Professor Chuma Himonga
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| Judge Zakeria "Zak" Yacoob is former and retired Judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. He joined the Court in 1998 after serving many years as a practising Advocate since admission on 12 March 1973 and obtained the silk in May 1991. He studied BA at the erstwhile University College: (former University of Durban Westville (UDW) which merged with the former University of Natal to form the University of KwaZulu-Natal). He then completed his LLB in 1972 at (UDW).
During his time he played a fundamental role in the development of the law and represented many people who were prosecuted for contravening the apartheid laws, the ‘Durban Six’, official and members of the United Democratic Front and its affiliates in the Delmas Treason Trial and the accused in the ‘Vula’ trial which involved the high ranking members of the African National Congress in 1990 and 1991.
Justice Yacoob delivered the scathing judgments on the consolidation of the hard-earned democracy when he was the Judge of the Constitutional Court which are of great significance for the character of South Africa’s democratic jurisprudence.
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Judge Zakeria "Zak" Yacoob
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 | Advocate Lesala Mofokeng holds the BA, LLB degrees from the University of Natal, Certificate in Legal Practice from the Law Society of South Africa and LLM from Georgetown University: United States of America. He is currently the Senior Lecturer in the School of Law at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a Senior Residence Officer responsible for undergraduate and postgraduate resident students. He has lectured at the South African Law Society’s School for Legal Practice since 2004, presented lectures at the University of Pretoria’s Good Governance Academy and has facilitated numerous succession planning workshops. Adv’s Mofokeng’s main research interests include: African customary law, religious law, legal pluralism, international law and international humanitarian law and has authored and co-authored academic books and articles on legal pluralism. |
Advocate Lesala Mofokeng
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