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Billy Mothle

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said he had handled with "great wisdom and dignity". Mothle told the Judicial Service Commission panel that he had applied for the vacancy because he wanted to end his career at a higher court when he retired in five years. He was among the five candidates whom the Judicial Service Commission
411:. He later said of the matter that, "I realised early on there was no precedent to follow. I knew that every step I was taking was setting a precedent. His ruling set a precedent for reopening investigations into deaths of other anti-apartheid activists. 314:. Upon his return to South Africa, he resumed his legal practice and also served as national director of Lawyers for Human Rights between 1988 and 1992. Thereafter he served in a series of contract positions, first as a legal consultant to the 422:
shortlisted him as one of nine candidates for five permanent vacancies at the Supreme Court of Appeal. He was nominated for the position by Advocates for Transformation. At his interview, held in April that year, he expressed his support for
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law. He was attached to Circle Chambers and was active in Advocates for Transformation, serving on its national executive committee from 2005 to 2007. In addition, between 2008 and 2010, he served several terms as an acting judge in the
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announced that he would appoint Mothle permanently to the bench of the Gauteng High Court with effect from 1 January 2011. He spent over ten years on the bench. During that period, he presided over the conviction of
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In April 2021, Mothle was shortlisted and interviewed again for new vacancies on the Supreme Court of Appeal. He had a brief, 25-minute interview, with questions centring on the Timol inquest, which Chief Justice
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to expedite the civil recovery of public funds lost to corruption and irregular expenditure. He was seconded to the tribunal for two years, leaving once he was elevated to the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2021.
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He is married and has two children. He was the secretary-general of the South African Softball Federation from 1977 to 1981, and he has been a trustee of his former high school, Mamelodi High, since 2017.
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in 1982, he remained at the firm until he joined Mothle, Matlala Mahlangu & Moabi Attorneys as a partner in 1983. He practiced primarily in Pretoria, where his clients included
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detained for political offences. He was a founding member of Lawyers for Human Rights and the founding vice-president of the Democratic Lawyers Congress.
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from 1998 to 2000, and then, in 2001, he took up practice at the Pretoria Bar. He was admitted as an advocate in the
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between December 2017 and September 2018, and later in June 2021. In February 2019, the
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recommended for appointment, and he joined the Supreme Court bench on 1 July 2021.
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charges. Perhaps most prominently, in 2017, he presided over the reopening of the
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In September 2019, Mothle was among the eight judges appointed to serve on the
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During his time as a High Court judge, Mothle served as an acting judge in the
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in the South African High Court. As an advocate, he practised primarily in
251:, receiving a BProc in 1979. Several years later, in 1987, he completed an 768:"Inquest into anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol's death reopens in June" 322:
from 1994 to 1996, and finally as chief director of investigations at the
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from January 2011 to June 2021. He rose to prominence as a lawyer in
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from 1992 to 1994, then as a legal advisor to the post-apartheid
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in Washington D. C., and he also completed a diploma through the
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in February 2008, and in April of that year he was awarded
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at Maluleke, Seriti & Moseneke, the law offices of
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Judges of the Supreme Court of Appeal (South Africa)
742:"Judgment looms for apartheid cops at Timol inquest" 174: 164: 130: 125: 111: 99: 81: 69: 39: 23: 690:"Judge says more court delays 'unfair' to Malema" 403:, an anti-apartheid activist who died in 1971 at 302:. During his year in the United States, he was a 1081:by the Judicial Service Commission (April 2021) 1075:by the Judicial Service Commission (April 2019) 586:"JSC Candidates Judge Selewe Mothle April 2021" 8: 716:"Malema case: Game changer in SA politics?" 329:On 19 May 1998, Mothle was admitted as an 20: 337:. He served as executive director of the 267:Between 1980 and 1982, Mothle served his 316:International Organisation for Migration 235:. He matriculated in 1974 at Pretoria's 1126:Georgetown University Law Center alumni 475: 199:(born 24 July 1956) is a South African 95:1 January 2011 – 30 June 2021 844: 842: 840: 505: 503: 501: 499: 447:Supreme Court of Appeal: 2021–present 312:National Institute for Trial Advocacy 298:to attend Georgetown University on a 243:, but he was excluded after the 1976 7: 580: 578: 576: 574: 572: 570: 568: 541: 539: 537: 535: 533: 531: 497: 495: 493: 491: 489: 487: 485: 483: 481: 479: 41:Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal 818:Seeth, Avantika (12 October 2017). 320:Northern Province Executive Council 239:and enrolled in legal study at the 227:Mothle was born on 24 July 1956 in 1141:21st-century South African lawyers 1136:20th-century South African lawyers 324:Independent Complaints Directorate 14: 1131:21st-century South African judges 1116:University of South Africa alumni 1087:by the General Council of the Bar 979:Evans, Sarah (24 February 2019). 953:Gerber, Jan (26 September 2019). 740:Pather, Raeesa (25 August 2017). 247:. He completed his degree at the 1151:Judges of the Gauteng High Court 849:Monama, Tebogo (15 April 2021). 339:Independent Electoral Commission 257:Georgetown University Law Center 927:Rabkin, Franny (2 April 2019). 901:Rabkin, Franny (2 April 2019). 663:"Life sentence for muti killer" 1005:Maphanga, Canny (9 May 2022). 766:Pather, Raeesa (30 May 2017). 688:Evans, Sarah (4 August 2015). 308:Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro 283:. After he was admitted as an 1: 374:Gauteng High Court: 2011–2021 1146:South African Senior Counsel 1121:University of Limpopo alumni 714:Essa, Azad (5 August 2015). 546:Havenga, Henk (April 2011). 378:In November 2010, President 548:"Appointments to the bench" 511:"Selewe Peter Billy Mothle" 420:Judicial Service Commission 197:Selewe Peter "Billy" Mothle 1172: 1063:at Supreme Court of Appeal 436:Special Investigating Unit 335:High Court of South Africa 249:University of South Africa 181:University of South Africa 1061:Selewe Peter Billy Mothle 611:"Zuma appoints 17 judges" 294:In 1986, Mothle moved to 190: 121: 88: 57: 46: 35: 641:South African Government 289:anti-apartheid activists 223:Early life and education 985:The Mail & Guardian 933:The Mail & Guardian 907:The Mail & Guardian 797:The Mail & Guardian 772:The Mail & Guardian 746:The Mail & Guardian 720:The Mail & Guardian 694:The Mail & Guardian 515:Supreme Court of Appeal 416:Supreme Court of Appeal 385:Masego Kgomo's murderer 241:University of the North 229:Lady Selborne, Pretoria 205:Supreme Court of Appeal 151:Lady Selborne, Pretoria 83:Judge of the High Court 427:and his opposition to 343:High Court of Lesotho 300:Fulbright Scholarship 269:articles of clerkship 185:Georgetown University 159:Union of South Africa 1111:People from Pretoria 237:Mamelodi High School 169:Mamelodi High School 405:John Vorster Square 370:of the High Court. 326:from 1997 to 1998. 135:Selewe Peter Mothle 16:South African judge 882:. 11 February 2019 669:. 28 November 2011 429:capital punishment 399:into the death of 351:administrative law 209:Gauteng High Court 799:. 16 October 2017 643:. 3 November 2010 617:. 3 November 2010 194: 193: 1163: 1069:at Judges Matter 1048: 1047: 1045: 1043: 1028: 1022: 1021: 1019: 1017: 1002: 996: 995: 993: 991: 976: 970: 969: 967: 965: 950: 944: 943: 941: 939: 924: 918: 917: 915: 913: 898: 892: 891: 889: 887: 872: 866: 865: 863: 861: 846: 835: 834: 832: 830: 815: 809: 808: 806: 804: 789: 783: 782: 780: 778: 763: 757: 756: 754: 752: 737: 731: 730: 728: 726: 711: 705: 704: 702: 700: 685: 679: 678: 676: 674: 659: 653: 652: 650: 648: 633: 627: 626: 624: 622: 607: 601: 600: 598: 596: 582: 563: 562: 552: 543: 526: 525: 523: 521: 507: 368:Gauteng Division 363:local government 355:land restitution 304:summer associate 296:Washington D. C. 281:Dikgang Moseneke 148: 144: 142: 126:Personal details 102: 93: 72: 62: 21: 1171: 1170: 1166: 1165: 1164: 1162: 1161: 1160: 1091: 1090: 1057: 1052: 1051: 1041: 1039: 1038:. 15 April 2021 1030: 1029: 1025: 1015: 1013: 1004: 1003: 999: 989: 987: 978: 977: 973: 963: 961: 952: 951: 947: 937: 935: 926: 925: 921: 911: 909: 900: 899: 895: 885: 883: 874: 873: 869: 859: 857: 848: 847: 838: 828: 826: 817: 816: 812: 802: 800: 791: 790: 786: 776: 774: 765: 764: 760: 750: 748: 739: 738: 734: 724: 722: 713: 712: 708: 698: 696: 687: 686: 682: 672: 670: 661: 660: 656: 646: 644: 635: 634: 630: 620: 618: 609: 608: 604: 594: 592: 584: 583: 566: 550: 545: 544: 529: 519: 517: 509: 508: 477: 472: 463: 454:Mogoeng Mogoeng 449: 440:Cyril Ramaphosa 409:Security Branch 376: 273:George Maluleke 265: 245:Soweto uprising 225: 183: 153: 149: 146: 140: 138: 137: 136: 100: 94: 89: 76:Cyril Ramaphosa 70: 64: 58: 53: 31: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1169: 1167: 1159: 1158: 1153: 1148: 1143: 1138: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1118: 1113: 1108: 1103: 1093: 1092: 1089: 1088: 1082: 1076: 1070: 1064: 1056: 1055:External links 1053: 1050: 1049: 1023: 997: 971: 945: 919: 893: 867: 836: 810: 784: 758: 732: 706: 680: 654: 628: 602: 564: 527: 474: 473: 471: 468: 462: 459: 448: 445: 375: 372: 264: 263:Legal practice 261: 231:in the former 224: 221: 192: 191: 188: 187: 178: 172: 171: 166: 162: 161: 134: 132: 128: 127: 123: 122: 119: 118: 113: 109: 108: 103: 97: 96: 86: 85: 79: 78: 73: 67: 66: 60:Assumed office 55: 54: 47: 44: 43: 37: 36: 33: 32: 29: 26:The Honourable 24: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1168: 1157: 1154: 1152: 1149: 1147: 1144: 1142: 1139: 1137: 1134: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1124: 1122: 1119: 1117: 1114: 1112: 1109: 1107: 1106:Living people 1104: 1102: 1099: 1098: 1096: 1086: 1083: 1080: 1077: 1074: 1071: 1068: 1065: 1062: 1059: 1058: 1054: 1037: 1033: 1027: 1024: 1012: 1008: 1001: 998: 986: 982: 975: 972: 960: 956: 949: 946: 934: 930: 923: 920: 908: 904: 897: 894: 881: 877: 871: 868: 856: 852: 845: 843: 841: 837: 825: 821: 814: 811: 798: 794: 788: 785: 773: 769: 762: 759: 747: 743: 736: 733: 721: 717: 710: 707: 695: 691: 684: 681: 668: 664: 658: 655: 642: 638: 632: 629: 616: 612: 606: 603: 591: 590:Judges Matter 587: 581: 579: 577: 575: 573: 571: 569: 565: 560: 556: 549: 542: 540: 538: 536: 534: 532: 528: 516: 512: 506: 504: 502: 500: 498: 496: 494: 492: 490: 488: 486: 484: 482: 480: 476: 469: 467: 461:Personal life 460: 458: 455: 446: 444: 441: 437: 432: 430: 426: 421: 417: 412: 410: 406: 402: 398: 394: 390: 389:Julius Malema 386: 381: 373: 371: 369: 364: 360: 356: 352: 348: 344: 340: 336: 332: 327: 325: 321: 317: 313: 309: 305: 301: 297: 292: 290: 286: 282: 278: 277:Willie Seriti 274: 270: 262: 260: 258: 254: 250: 246: 242: 238: 234: 230: 222: 220: 218: 214: 210: 206: 202: 198: 189: 186: 182: 179: 177: 173: 170: 167: 163: 160: 156: 152: 147:(age 68) 133: 129: 124: 120: 117: 114: 110: 107: 104: 98: 92: 87: 84: 80: 77: 74: 68: 61: 56: 52: 51: 45: 42: 38: 34: 27: 22: 19: 1067:S. P. Mothle 1040:. Retrieved 1036:Business Day 1035: 1026: 1014:. Retrieved 1010: 1000: 988:. Retrieved 984: 974: 962:. Retrieved 958: 948: 936:. Retrieved 932: 922: 910:. Retrieved 906: 896: 884:. Retrieved 880:Sunday Times 879: 870: 858:. Retrieved 854: 827:. Retrieved 823: 813: 801:. Retrieved 796: 787: 775:. Retrieved 771: 761: 749:. Retrieved 745: 735: 723:. Retrieved 719: 709: 697:. Retrieved 693: 683: 671:. Retrieved 666: 657: 645:. Retrieved 640: 631: 619:. Retrieved 614: 605: 593:. Retrieved 589: 558: 554: 518:. Retrieved 514: 464: 450: 433: 413: 377: 328: 293: 266: 226: 196: 195: 145:24 July 1956 101:Appointed by 90: 71:Appointed by 59: 48: 30:Billy Mothle 18: 1101:1956 births 1042:27 November 1016:27 November 990:27 November 964:27 November 938:27 November 912:27 November 886:27 November 860:27 November 829:27 November 803:27 November 777:27 November 751:27 November 725:27 November 699:27 November 673:27 November 647:27 November 621:27 November 595:27 November 520:27 November 401:Ahmed Timol 347:silk status 65:1 July 2021 1095:Categories 824:City Press 470:References 393:corruption 380:Jacob Zuma 176:Alma mater 141:1956-07-24 106:Jacob Zuma 1079:Interview 1073:Interview 233:Transvaal 219:in 2008. 165:Education 155:Transvaal 91:In office 50:Incumbent 561:(1): 12. 555:Advocate 425:feminism 331:advocate 285:attorney 213:Pretoria 112:Division 397:inquest 333:in the 255:at the 203:of the 116:Gauteng 1085:Review 1011:News24 959:News24 855:News24 667:News24 615:News24 361:, and 279:, and 551:(PDF) 201:judge 63: 1044:2023 1018:2023 992:2023 966:2023 940:2023 914:2023 888:2023 862:2023 831:2023 805:2023 779:2023 753:2023 727:2023 701:2023 675:2023 649:2023 623:2023 597:2023 522:2023 217:silk 131:Born 391:on 359:tax 306:at 253:LLM 1097:: 1034:. 1009:. 983:. 957:. 931:. 905:. 878:. 853:. 839:^ 822:. 795:. 770:. 744:. 718:. 692:. 665:. 639:. 613:. 588:. 567:^ 559:24 557:. 553:. 530:^ 513:. 478:^ 357:, 353:, 275:, 259:. 157:, 143:) 1046:. 1020:. 994:. 968:. 942:. 916:. 890:. 864:. 833:. 807:. 781:. 755:. 729:. 703:. 677:. 651:. 625:. 599:. 524:. 139:(

Index

The Honourable
Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal
Incumbent
Cyril Ramaphosa
Judge of the High Court
Jacob Zuma
Gauteng
Lady Selborne, Pretoria
Transvaal
Union of South Africa
Mamelodi High School
Alma mater
University of South Africa
Georgetown University
judge
Supreme Court of Appeal
Gauteng High Court
Pretoria
silk
Lady Selborne, Pretoria
Transvaal
Mamelodi High School
University of the North
Soweto uprising
University of South Africa
LLM
Georgetown University Law Center
articles of clerkship
George Maluleke
Willie Seriti

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