Lex Mpati SC (born 5 September 1949) is a South African judge, Chancellor of Rhodes University,[1] and former President of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa.[2]
The Honourable Lex Mpati | |
|---|---|
| President of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa | |
| In office 15 August 2008 – October 2016 | |
| Deputy | Kenneth Mthiyane Mahomed Navsa (Acting) Mandisa Maya |
| Preceded by | Craig Howie |
| Succeeded by | Mandisa Maya |
| Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa | |
| In office 1 January 2003 – 14 August 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Louis Harms |
| Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal | |
| In office 9 December 2000 – 31 December 2002 | |
| Judge of the Eastern Cape Division of the Supreme Court | |
| In office 1 February 1997 – 8 December 2000 | |
| Chancellor of Rhodes University | |
| Assumed office 22 February 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Jakes Gerwel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 September 1949 Durban, South Africa |
| Citizenship | South African |
| Spouse | Mireille Mpati (née Nontobeko) |
| Alma mater | Rhodes University Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
Early life and education
Mpati has deep roots in Grahamstown and the province as a whole. He was born in Durban in 1949 but his schooling was in the Eastern Cape, first at St Joseph's Catholic School at Fort Beaufort and then at Mary Waters High School in Grahamstown, from where he matriculated in 1967.
Mpati enrolled at Rhodes in 1979, under a special permit (required by black students), and graduated in 1982 with a BA degree in legal theory and Xhosa. He graduated with a LLB degree in 1984.[3] He was only the second black student to graduate with an LLB from Rhodes.
Career
Lex Mpati started his legal career in 1985 and was admitted as an Advocate in 1989. He became a member of the Eastern Cape Bar in 1989 and was appointed as senior counsel in April 1996.[3] He served as a Judge in the Eastern Cape High Court from 1997–2000. He was appointed as a Judge of Appeal, first in an acting capacity and in December 2000 as a full member of the Supreme Court of Appeal. He ascended to Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2003, and to President in August 2008. He is also a member of the Judicial Service Commission.[2]
He attended Rhodes University as a student between 1979 and 1982, and subsequently returned to his alma mater as Chancellor in February 2013.[1]
Other interests
Mpati is known to have been a keen rugby player and was a founding member of the South Eastern Districts Rugby Union. He has also served on committees of the South African Rugby Union and on the legal committee of SANZAR.[4]
Honours and awards
Mpati was awarded an honorary LLD from Rhodes University in 2004 and in 2011 the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University also conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on him.[4]
References
- ^ a b University, Rhodes. "Justice Mpati to be installed as the new Chancellor at Rhodes". Retrieved 2018-01-11.
- ^ a b "SCA Judges' CV". www.justice.gov.za. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
- ^ a b "High Court: New Judges" (PDF). Consultus. 10 (1): 22. 1997 – via General Council of the Bar of South Africa.
- ^ a b "Tribute to Justice Lex Mpati" (PDF). Advocate. 32 (3): 8–9. 2019 – via General Council of the Bar of South Africa.
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