The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Prof Elmarie van der Schyff of the Faculty of Law was appointed to serve as acting judge in the Gauteng division of the High Court of South Africa from 9 October to 17 November 2017.
This is another outstanding achievement in an already exceptional career, of which she tells more about below:
How do you feel about the appointment? Have you ever thought that you will find yourself in such a position?
I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to act in this capacity for six weeks. Every now and then I want to pinch myself to make sure that I am not dreaming.
Can you tell us a bit more about what the work will involve?
From the service roster that was released, it is clear that I will mainly handle opposed and unopposed motion applications and civil and criminal appeals.
How did it happen that you were approached?
Acting judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Judge President. The Judge President considered my curriculum vitae and recommended me.
What do you think will be your greatest challenge? In the near future sleep would probably be a luxury?
I believe that the work pressure will be formidable. I will have to function in an unknown environment, but I am looking forward enormously to this challenge.
What are the values or the ethos that you bring to this position?
My value system is based on a Christian view of life. I trust that I will be able to live the characteristics of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and in that way contribute to a society based on democratic values, social justice and basic human rights.
Where do you originally come from and where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Vereeniging. I was in Overvaal High School and started my tertiary studies at the former Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education. I completed my BA Law and LLB degrees there. In 1990 I married Fanie van der Schyff, a minister in the Reformed Church of South Africa. After I had completed my articles at the Potchefstroom firm of Theron, Jordaan and Smit I was admitted as lawyer.
Fanie’s first congregation was in Pongola, and this was where I started practising as a lawyer. He was later called to Parys and my path crossed with that of the NWU again when I was appointed as full-time lecturer in 2002. I studied further and obtained my LLM in 2003 and my LLD in 2007. In the meantime, Fanie was called to Potchefstroom. In 2009 he was called to the Reformed Church Brooklyn in Pretoria. Since 2009 I have been commuting between Pretoria and Potchefstroom. We have three children: Veronica (25), Peet (23) and Cobus (17).
Where did your love for law start?
My father is my professional role model. He is still a practising lawyer at the age of 77. Since my childhood I went to court with him and even when I was still a child he “indoctrinated” me with the principle that everyone is equal before the law. It is also from him that I learnt that legal practitioners do not keep office hours, but serve the law 24/7.
What do you do when you are not busy with the academic world?
My family and I love nature and when we have time we like to go hiking. We are also very fond of the sea, but unfortunately we don’t visit it often enough.
The NWU’s Prof Elmarie van der Schyff was appointed to serve as acting judge in the Gauteng division of the High Court of South Africa from 9 October to 17 November 2017.
