AFRICA AWARDS
2022
WOZA Africa Awards 2022 the only Awards for women in law on the African continent Happy Women’s Day OUR very core is founded on the concept of women and male champions of change coming together in celebration of female excellence and gender parity in the legal profession. “WOZA” is a South African Zulu word which means “come along”. On this Women’s Day, we give thanks and gratitude for the excellent contributions made by women in their roles as mother, wife, partner, sibling, child, friend and professional. We at WOZA see you, we acknowledge you and we recognise you. Our message to all women is that the time has come for all of us to give back and pay it forward in our success. It is indeed our time to come together. So as we “nominate to celebrate” let us “lift as we rise” and empower each other not just on Women’s Day, but always. We salute the women of South Africa, Africa and the world and wish you all a very Happy Women’s Day.
The grand event on July 30, 2022 was a huge celebration. The Chief Justice of South Africa, Raymond Zondo was the keynote speaker who praised WOZA for acknowledging female excellence and emphasised his willingness to engage with organisations such as WOZA in order to accelerate the process of gender parity in the profession. He congratulated WOZA for the platform it created. In his speech he made mention of the Intellectual Property and Mergers and Acquisition categories “that it’s very important, that women get empowered in all branches of the law, there should be no branches of law that are exclusively for men”, cautioned that “we make sure women lawyers get lots of work, get quality work not just from the government but the private sector”. The WOZA Women in Law Awards was originally founded on February 28, 2019 by Rehana Khan Parker and Asha Ramdin Singhania, later joined by Subashnee Moodley and Laura Morwesi Dlepu. Research indicates that the legal profession is still maledominated, especially in specialised areas of law such as intellectual property law, construction law and information and communications law. Women make up more than 50%
of law graduates in South Africa but only comprise 40% of total legal practitioners – attorneys and advocates combined. These awards are the first and only stand-alone platform in Africa to recognise and celebrate the dedication, achievements and contributions made by women in the legal profession, for women, by women. Due to the success of the 2019 Gala awards event, the demand grew attracting over 170 nominations from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania and Ghana in 33 categories. It was a night of celebrations as the awardees danced to the African beat to receive their awards. In total 84 awards were presented. The Future Ambassadors Awards, a special category created, aims to encourage law students and candidate legal practitioners who show great promise and have stood out among their peers, to persevere in a tough profession and develop themselves. An award that differs from the others is the Champion for Change award, awarded to a man in the profession with vision and commitment to the acceleration of gender diversity. The most coveted and prestigious award is the ‘Pinnacle’ award. The award is given to a woman lawyer who displays iconic achievement embracing thought, innovation, leadership, empowerment of other women and contribution to the law. We look forward to the WOZA Africa 2024, the question everyone is asking is… where will it be held? Congratulations to all the nominees and winners We are grateful to the messages of support from members of the Judiciary, the profession, Legal Practice Council, the Law Society of South Africa, Pan African Lawyers Union, Southern African Development Community Lawyers Association, The Institute for African Women in Law and Women in Law Vienna. Women’s Day message from WOZA women in law and the WOZA leadership academy.
DIRECTORS OF WOZA Rehana Parker, Laura Dlepu and Subashnee Moodley
2022 NOMINEES Aakifah Sonday Abigail Chimuka Adv Anthea Platt Adv Ayesha Johaar Adv Laverene Accom Adv Mary Richard Adv Soraya Hassim Adv Tike Mwambipile Adv Yvette Isaacs Anastasia Machobane Andrea Goldman Anisa Govender Anthony Atata Asha Sewpersad Asima Moola Athi Vuyolwethu Jara Atisha Ghela Audrey Gwangwa Ayesha Royker Bridgett Majola Bulelwa Sesi Mabasa Candy Lee De Sousa Centre for Applied Legal Studies Cezanne Britain Deepa Vallabh Dinana Reid Edwina Mazunda Fadia Arnold Francois Terblanche Fumanikile Lungani Geline Alfred Fuko Gretta Nozuko Nxusani Gugulethu Mthalane Hadijah Kinyaka Hlaleleni Kathleen Dlepu Jackie Nagtegaal Janine Myburgh Jean Chiazor Anishere Jessica Schwenn Joselyn Fember Justine Krige Kagiso Mahlangu Karen Botha Khanyisa Mogale Kirsten Youens Kondwa Sakala-Chibiya Lady Justice Bubile Shonga Liete van der Eems Lili Nupen Linda Kasonde Linda Thilivhali Lulu Ngwanakilala Mabaeng Denise Lenyai Mabjane Petunia Thulare
2022 NOMINEES Madeleine Kimei Mbali Shabangu Memory Temwati Msiska Mihlali Sitefane Mirah Ranchod Mmataka Matseke Muchinda Muma Nabeela Moola Nakasamba Banda Natasha Chiumya Natasha Wagiet Naazneen Khan Nevolan Langeveldt Nicolene Schoeman-Louw Nomagugu Mahlangu Nomahlubi Khwinana Nyaradzai Magumise Olivia Swardling Oluyemisi Bamgbose Penny Chenery Petita Chimamanda Mwanza Phillip Dhlamini Podu Mamabolo Prof Jarpa Dawuni Racquel Nxumalo Rosa Van Niekerk Rukayah Luke Samantha De Villiers Samantha Reynecke Seehaam Samaai Shaaheda Hoosein Shivani Singh Simone Carolissen Siphokazi Kayana Stanley Nyamanhindi Tasneem Moosa Tatyana Vasilyeva Thandi Rosemary Makweya Thembi Mawelele Thobile Skosana Towela Nkhoma Tshepo Shabangu Unathi Malunga Vanessa Jacklin-Levin Varsha Sewlal Vincia Cloete Wendy Ndlovu Whitney Rosenberg Yasmin Mohamed Yushanta Rungasammy Zama Ngcobo Zarina Walele
PANEL OF JUDGES
PANEL OF JUDGES
WOMEN IN LAW
WOMEN IN LAW
WOZA AFRICA AWARDS 2022 WINNERS LIST TOTAL AWARDS – 84 Winners in South Africa – 25 Runners up in South Africa – 38 Winners in Zambia – 2 Runners up in Zambia – 8 Winners in Tanzania – 3 Runners up in Tanzania – 5 Winners in Nigeria – 1 Runners up in Nigeria – 1 Winners in Ghana - 1
BEST IN ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
WINNER: JACKIE NAGTEGAAL 1ST: MADELINE KIMEI 2ND: SIPHOKAZI KAYANA & VANESSA JACKLIN-LEVIN
BEST IN LABOUR LAW
WINNER: PODU MAMABOLO 1ST: ZARINA WALELE 2ND: ASHA SEWPERSAD
BEST IN FAMILY LAW
WINNER: KAREN BOTHA 1ST: ATISHA GHELA 2ND: PODU MAMABOLO
BEST IN MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS WINNER: YUSHANTA RUNGASAMMY 1ST: JUSTINE KRIGE 2ND: SHIVANI SINGH
BEST IN FINANCE AND DEBT RELIEF WINNER: BRIDGETT MAJOLA 1ST: ABIGAIL CHIMUKA 2ND: NAKASAMBA BANDA-CHANDA
BEST IN ENERGY, MINING AND RESOURCES WINNER: YUSHANTA RUNGASAMMY 1ST: ATHI VUYOLWETHU JARA 2ND: LILI NUPEN
BEST IN MARINE, SHIPPING AND ENVIRONMENTAL WINNER: ANISA GOVENDER 1ST: JEAN CHIAZOR ANISHERE 2ND: SAMANTHA DE VILLIERS
WOZA AFRICA AWARDS 2022 WINNERS LIST BEST IN CORPORATE (PRACTISING) WINNER: SORAYA HASSIM 1ST: NICOLENE SCHOEMAN LOUW 2ND: JUSTINE KRIGE
BEST IN CORPORATE (NON-PRACTISING) WINNER: MMATAKA MATSEKE 1ST: SHIVANI SINGH 2ND: ANASTASIA MACHOBANE
BEST IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY WINNER: GELINE ALFRED FUKO (TANZANIA) 1ST: VARSHA SEWLAL 2ND: DINANA REID
BEST IN LAND RIGHTS
WINNER: TIKE GEORGE MWAMBIPILE (TANZANIA) 1ST: BULELWA MABASA 2ND: KHANYISA MOGALE
BEST IN HUMAN RIGHTS, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND PROBONO WINNER: LINDA KASONDE (ZAMBIA) 1ST: MARY RICHARD (TANZANIA) 2ND: KIRSTEN YOUENS & WHITNEY ROSENBERG
BEST IN LEADERSHIP AND MENTORSHIP WINNER: SORAYA HASSIM 1ST: LINDA KASONDE (ZAMBIA) 2ND: LULU NGWANAKILALA (TANZANIA)
BEST IN THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION AND ACADEMIA WINNER: PROF JARPA DAWUNI (GHANA/ USA) 1ST: MIRAH RANCHOD 2ND: BULELWA SESI MABASA
BEST IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
WINNER: NOMAHLUBI KHWINANA JOINT RUNNERS UP: Nevolan Langeveldt & ADV YVETTE ISAACS
BEST IN PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION
WINNER: AUDREY GWANGWA 1ST: MABAENG LENYAI 2ND: NATASHA CHIUMYA (ZAMBIA) & KAGISO MAHLANGU
BEST IN COMPETITION LAW
WINNER: WENDY NDLOVU RUNNER UP: NAKASAMBA BANDA-CHANDA (ZAMBIA)
WOZA AFRICA AWARDS 2022 WINNERS LIST BEST IN TAX AND INSURANCE
WINNER: HADIJAH KINYAKA (TANZANIA) RUNNER UP: MMATAKA MATSEKE
BEST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW WINNER: LINDA THILIVHALI FUTURE AMBASSADORS
STUDENT TOP ACHIEVER
WINNER: TATYANA VASILYEVA
STUDENT CHANGE MAKER
WINNER: LIETE VAN DER EEMS 1ST: AAKIFAH SONDAY 2ND: NOMAGUGU MAHLANGU
CANDIDATE ATTORNEY TOP ACHIEVER WINNER: MUCHINDA MUMA (ZAMBIA) RUNNER UP: NYARADZAI MAGUMISE
CANDIDATE ATTORNEY CHANGEMAKER WINNER: THOBILE SKOSANA
BEST IN STATE, JUDICIAL AND ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE WINNER: VARSHA SEWLAL 1ST: ADV. AYESHA JOHAAR 2nd: PETITA CHIMAMANDA MWANZA (ZAMBIA)
MALE CHAMPION FOR CHANGE
WINNER: FRANCOIS TERBLANCHE 1ST: STANLEY NYAMANHINDI 2ND: Phillip Dhlamini
PINNACLE AWARD
WINNER: ADV SORAYA HASSIM SC 1ST: LINDA KASONDE (ZAMBIA) 2ND: GELINE FUKO (TANZANIA)
SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN ONLY LAW FIRM: 0-5 YEARS IN PRACTICE WINNER: KAREN BOTHA ATTORNEYS RUNNER UP: CAROLISSEN ATTORNEYS INC
TOP SOUTH AFRICAN FIRM WITH 5 WOMEN LAWYERS OR LESS WINNER: NDLOVU DE VILLIERS ATTORNEYS INC 1ST: WMN ATTORNEYS INC 2ND: HUGHES-MADONDO INC
WOZA AFRICA AWARDS 2022 WINNERS LIST TOP SOUTH AFRICAN FIRM WITH 6 WOMEN LAWYERS OR MORE JOINT WINNERS: LIVINGSTON LEANDY INC & SCHOEMAN LAW INC RUNNER UP: CMS
TOP AFRICAN FIRM WITH 5 WOMEN LAWYERS OR LESS
WINNER: JEAN CHIAZOR ANISHERE (OFIANYI CHAMBERS NIGERIA) RUNNER UP: FOLOTIYA & CHIUMYA LEGAL PRACTITIONERS (ZAMBIA)
AFRICAN LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
WINNER: CMS 1ST: NSDV ATTORNEYS 2ND: JOACHIM AND JACOBS (TANZANIA)
DIRECTORS’ CHOICE AWARDS: LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Hlalaleni Kathleen Dlepu Judge Margaret Victor Justice Bubile Shonga ( Zambia)
GLOBAL TRANSFORMATION AWARD Prof J Jarpa Dawuni ( Ghana & USA)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION Tshepo Shabangu
IN MEMORIAM
The late Victoria Mxenge
LPC congratulates winners of the WOZA awards 304 Brooks Street, Menlo Park, Pretoria, South Africa, Telephone: +27 (0) 12 366 8800 Fax: +27 (0) 12 362 0969
The Legal Practice Council congratulates the recipients Africans increase at all levels of the profession - not of the WOZA awards for their achievements and excelonly at the info@sadcla.org National Council level and provincial levels, Email address: lence as practitioners in legal profession. but more so in the number of our candidate legal pracSADCLA THE CHAMPIONS OFprofession. THE WOZA 2023 “The WOZA awards are good for ourCONGRATULATES sector as they titioners entering the WeAWARDS are moving in the recognise women making strides in the legal profesright direction and thanks to all stakeholders and to sion. The awards inspire women in the industry to excel initiatives such as the WOZA awards,” said Myburgh. and will also inspire future generations,” says Janine It is with profound joy and gratitude that I congratulate yet again, WOZA and its Myburgh, chairperson of the Legal Practice Council. About Legal Practice Council firebrand the leadership of Rehana Khan for breaking the boundaries “To all the winners, I commend you team for all under your efforts, The Legal Practice Council is a national, statutory estabfemale participation I deliberately do so with body gratitude may you continue to be of an inspiration for the current and recognition. lished inthe termswinners of sectionof 4 of the Awards. Legal Practice No 28 of and future generations,” because she said. this message congratulates the ThisAct,makes us 2014. The Legal Practice Council and its Provincial Councils Myburgh pointed out that advancement and empowerrealize that there are living champions amongst us who live the promise of regulate the affairs of and exercise jurisdiction over all legal ment of women in the profession is key to the Legal greatness in potential held bypractitioners all women, but sadly the world rarely gives (attorneys and advocates) and candidate legal a Practice Council’s goal of transforming the legal profeschance to discover. Weand are grateful for and thank these strong women for practitioners. sion. “We continue to see representation of women
304 Brooks the Street,path Menlo Park, Pretoria, South hope Africa, Telephone: (0) 12 366 8800 Fax: +27 (0) 12 362 0969 lighting and giving to all +27 other women and men supportive to gender equity. The legal profession remains one of the professional spaces in Email address: info@sadcla.org which females are excluded from leadership and change can only be achieved SADCLA CONGRATULATES THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WOZA AWARDS 2023 through targeted interventions. SADC LA’s mission is to promote human rights and rule of law without fear or favor. Until all persons are equal the quest for rule of law and a prosperous society remains a mirage. So we thank WOZA for It is with joycause and gratitude that I congratulate again, its uniting usprofound under this and the women we celebrateyet today for WOZA giving and us the firebrand team under the leadership of Rehana Khan for breaking the boundaries cause. of female participation and recognition. I deliberately do so with gratitude because this message congratulates the winners of the Awards. This makes us realize that there are living champions amongst us who live the promise of greatness in potential held by all women, but sadly the world rarely gives a chance to discover. We are grateful for and thank these strong women for South304 Africa, BrooksTelephone: St, Menlo Park,+27 (0) 12 366 8800 Fax: +27 (0) 12 362 0969 lighting the path and giving hope to all other women and men supportive to Pretoria, South Africa, gender equity. The legal profession remains one of the professional spaces in Email address: info@sadcla.org which females are excluded from leadership and change can only be achieved Telephone: +27 (0) 12 366 8800 through targeted interventions. LA’s mission is to promote human rights TES Fax: THE OF THE WOZA AWARDSSADC 2023 +27 (0)CHAMPIONS 12 362 0969 and rule of law without fear or favor. Until all persons are equal the quest for Email address: info@sadcla.org rule of law and a prosperous society remains a mirage. So we thank WOZA for uniting us under this cause and the women we celebrate today for giving us the cause.
d gratitude that I congratulate yet again, WOZA and its Vimbai Nyemba leadership of RehanaPresident Khan for breaking the boundaries SADC Lawyers Association and recognition. I deliberately do so with gratitude ngratulates the winners of the Awards. This makes us
WOMEN IN LAW
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AZIZA AMOD
WOMEN IN LAW
Pinnacle Award Winner
Advocate Soraya Hassim SC
WOMEN IN LAW
