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Profiles of the Judges of the Special Tribunal

Judge Margie Victor (President)
Judge Victor is a retired judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court.  Prior to her appointment in November 2024 Judge Victor served as the Ombud for the Long- and Short-term insurance industry for almost two year.  She is currently serving as an arbitrator for the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa, AFSA.  The Johannesburg Bar honoured her contribution to South African law as an advocate.  WOZA has also honoured her contribution to the law.  The University of Johannesburg in collaboration with the New York Law School at a conference held hounouring her contribution to Ubutntu constitutional jurisprudence in South Africa.

Judge Thandi Victoria Norman, Eastern Cape Division, Grahamstown
Judge Norman is a judge of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court.  Prior to her appointment as a judge she served as the Evidence Leader to the Commission o]f Enquiry into allegations of State Capture from March 2018 until 2021.  She was also the Chairperson fo the Advocated for Transformation in KwaZulu Natal.  She was appointed by the President of the Republic of South Africa to serve on the Judicial Service Commission in April 2017.  Appointed as a judge in 2022.

Judge David Makhoba, Gauteng Division
Judge Makhoba is a judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Pretoria. Prior to his appointment as a judge he joined the magistracy in 1995.  He was the President of the Association of Regional Magistrates of South Africa (ARMSA) since 2013.  He joined the magistracy in 1995 after working as a public prosecutor for four years.

Judge Brian A Mashile, Mpumalanga Division
Judge Mashile is a judge of the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court.  Prior to his appointment as a judge he was a Director of a law firm and formed Director and shareholder of disability Bagale Mining.  He practiced as an attorney for 22 years and was appointed as a judge in 2013.  Judge Mashile lost his vision after an attack by migrant labourers in Alexandra township in Gauteng just before he wrote his exams Grade 9, in 1979. 

Judge Andre Henry Petersen, North West Division
Judge Petersen is judge of the North West Division of the High Court.  In a legal career spanning nearly 30 years Judge Petersen climbed the ranks of the magistrates’ courts.  While completing part-time studies, he worked as an Administration Clerk in the Justice Department.  Rising to Public Prosecutor in 1995, Magistrate in 2000 and Regional Magistrate from 2010.  Appointed as a judge in 2021.

Judge Chantel Moira Jennifer Fortuin, Western Cape Division
Judge Fortuin is a judge of the Western Cape Division of the High Court.  She started her interaction in law as a para-legal during the early 80’s and coordinated the Paarl Advice Office in the Paarl Valley for a period of 10 years, providing basic legal service to members of the community.  She coordinated the Women’s Rights project at the Legal Resources Centre from 1998 to 2003.  She was permanently appointed as a judge in 2010.

Updated: 25 September 2025