Wim Trengove

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Wim Trengove
J. J. Trengove
(father)

Wim Trengove

human rights law matters in the Constitutional Court of South Africa
, including several high-profile political cases.

Early life and career

Trengove was born on 27 October 1949.

J. J. Trengove, was an advocate and later a judge of the Supreme Court.[3] Initially interested in a career as a civil engineer,[2] he instead studied law after serving his conscripted service in the South African Defence Force.[3] He graduated from the University of Pretoria with a BCom LLB cum laude.[1]

In 1975, Trengove joined the bar in Johannesburg.[1] Although he had intended to specialise in commercial law, he gained a reputation for handling labour law briefs and political trials involving anti-apartheid activists.[3] He took silk in 1987 and served stints both as chairman of the Johannesburg Bar Council and as chairman of the General Council of the Bar.[1]

Notable briefs

In the post-apartheid period, Trengove specialises in

human rights law matters,[4] and he is best known for his appearances in the Constitutional Court of South Africa. Indeed, he argued in the certification of the Constitution itself.[5] In human rights matters, Trengove argued, inter alia, for the abolition of the death penalty in S v Makwanyane,[6] against discrimination on the basis of HIV status in Hoffmann v South African Airways,[7] for the protection of sex workers' labour rights in Kylie v CCMA,[8] for the restitution of land and mineral rights to groups dispossessed during apartheid in Alexkor Ltd v Richtersveld Community,[9] and for the roll-out of anti-retroviral treatment for HIV patients in Minister of Health v Treatment Action Campaign.[10] He also represented mineworkers in a class action to claim damages from mining companies for damages due to the widespread contraction of silicosis;[11] the $400 million settlement in favour of the miners was the largest in South African history.[12] Other notable constitutional matters in which he appeared include Economic Freedom Fighters v Speaker, National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality v Minister of Home Affairs, Kruger v President of the Republic of South Africa, My Vote Counts v Speaker of the National Assembly, and Corruption Watch v President
.

Trengove has been active in high-profile political cases, representing former president Nelson Mandela, including in his divorce from Winnie Madikizela-Mandela,[13] leading the prosecution of former president Jacob Zuma on charges of corruption,[14][15] and representing President Cyril Ramaphosa in his dispute with the Public Protector.[16] Trengove was outspoken about the National Prosecuting Authority's decision in 2008 to withdraw its corruption charges against Zuma, criticising the decision at a public lecture at the University of Cape Town, where Trengove is an honorary professor.[17]

Personal life

Trengove met his wife, née Estelle Viljoen, in the 1980s, when she was a journalist covering one of his cases in Pretoria.[3] They have six children,[3] one of whom is film director John Trengove.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "The Chairman's contribution" (PDF). Consultus. 6 (2): 104. October 1993.
  2. ^
    ISSN 0261-3077
    . Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Wicks, Bernadette (9 October 2021). "From presidents to paupers, Wim Trengove has defended them all". The Citizen. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Wim Trengove SC". Thulamela Chambers. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Certification of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (CCT 23/96) [1996] ZACC 26; 1996 (4) SA 744 (CC); 1996 (10) BCLR 1253 (CC) (6 September 1996)". saflii.org. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  6. ^ "S v Makwanyane and Another (CCT3/94) [1995] ZACC 3; 1995 (6) BCLR 665; 1995 (3) SA 391; [1996] 2 CHRLD 164; 1995 (2) SACR 1 (6 June 1995)". saflii.org. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Hoffmann v South African Airways (CCT17/00) [2000] ZACC 17; 2001 (1) SA 1; 2000 (11) BCLR 1211 ; [2000] 12 BLLR 1365 (CC) (28 September 2000)". saflii.org. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Kylie v Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration and Others (CA10/08) [2010] ZALAC 8; 2010 (4) SA 383 (LAC) ; 2010 (10) BCLR 1029 (LAC) ; (2010) 31 ILJ 1600 (LAC) ; [2010] 7 BLLR 705 (LAC) (26 May 2010)". saflii.org. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Diamonds are for Richtersveld". News24. 14 October 2003. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Minister of Health and Others v Treatment Action Campaign and Others (No 2) (CCT8/02) [2002] ZACC 15; 2002 (5) SA 721; 2002 (10) BCLR 1033 (5 July 2002)". saflii.org. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  11. ^ Lewis, Pete (23 October 2015). "Silicosis case: mines are being obstructive, say miners' lawyers". GroundUp News. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  12. ^ "South Africa miners reach $400 million silicosis settlement with mining companies". Reuters. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  13. ^ Block, Robert. "No 'fairy-tale ending' as court gives Nelson Mandela divorce". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  14. ^ Khumalo, Juniour (23 May 2019). "Trengove: Zuma flourished during time of delayed prosecution". CityPress. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  15. ^ Manyathela, Clement. "Wim Trengove: Zuma can't rely on spy tapes for permanent stay of prosecution". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  16. ^ "'Reckless, reckless, reckless!' – Mkhwebane 'thumbsucked' facts in finding against Ramaphosa, court hears". News24. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  17. ^ "Advocate Wim Trengove at UCT | Department of Public Law". publiclaw.uct.ac.za. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wim_Trengove&oldid=1202730571"