Women’s Month: Nine brilliant lawyers who are leading the way

As South Africa prepares to mark National Women’s Day, the country has come a long way since 9 August 1956. An important day in the nation’s history, almost seventy years ago, when around 20,000 women of all races made an historic march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against Apartheid pass laws and deliver thousands of petitions with 100,000 signatures to Prime Minister JG Strijdom.

Thousands of women of all races, standing up against oppression. 

'Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo’ (you strike a woman, you strike a rock) the women sang on the march, and while gathered outside the Union Buildings. Strijdom was reportedly so concerned about receiving the petition from a multiracial group of women, he ensured he was elsewhere, leaving it to his Secretary. 

For the past thirty years, 9 August has been celebrated as a public holiday, National Women’s Day, commemorating the courageous women who marched, led by the likes of Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn. 

It is also a time to celebrate the vital contributions women are making to society. So today at Africa Legal we are proud to highlight nine superb South African women who are helping lead the way in the legal profession - which itself still has work to do for gender equality - shattering glass ceilings and inspiring new generations. 

Michelle David, Chair of Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa 

A highly regarded pensions and financial regulatory lawyer, in May 2022 Michelle David became Chair of Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa. Michelle had already been a partner at the global law firm for a decade, during which time she’d also been President of the Pension Lawyers Association, and was previously a partner at another global law firm, and a senior associate at Bowmans. Her predecessor Andrew Robinson, said, “We couldn’t think of a better person to take over the reins as Chair of our firm and have full confidence in Michelle’s ability to make this role her own and excel. She is an incredibly talented lawyer and exceptional career woman.” Seen as a leader in gender empowerment throughout her career, Michelle has been a finalist in the Top Women in Business Awards multiple times, is listed in Who’s Who Legal as an expert in employment, benefits and labour, and regularly discusses key legal issues and leadership with various media and conferences. 

Professor Thulisile Madonsela, University of Stellenbosch

The director of the Centre for Social Justice in the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University, Professor Thuli Madonsela is a pioneering icon who now mentors the next generation of South African lawyers, after many years ‘at the coal face’ of the nation’s transformation. She served for many years as Public Protector of South Africa - which she once described as akin to being a non-political ‘aunt’ who was a buffer between ruler and people - and full-time Commissioner in the South African Law Reform Commission. She was also one of 11 technical experts who helped draft the South African Constitution, was co-architect of laws including the Equality Act, and has been named South African Person of the Year, and one of Time magazine’’s 100 Most Influential People, for exposing former President Zuma’s abuse of public funds. “Thuli Madonsela is an inspirational example of what African public officers need to be,” said Lamido Sanusi, a past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. 

Belinda Mapongwana, founder of Mapongwana Attorneys

A visionary lawyer and trailblazing leader, in 2014 Belinda founded Mapongwana Attorneys, a 100% black-woman owned boutique firm based in Sandton that offers specialist legal services in mergers and acquisitions, corporate commercial law and commercial litigation. She is also the founder of Seza Isizwe, which specialises in responsive education solutions in South Africa, offering mentoring and skills development programmes for learners, graduates, and junior professionals. Born in the Gugulethu township in Western Cape, Belinda practiced at leading South African and international law firms, earned an LLM in Amsterdam, and worked for global investment banks in Johannesburg, New York, and London. Belinda has also lectured on risk, governance, and compliance at Wits School of Law, and spoken out about the presumptions and limiting beliefs that prevent female lawyers of colour from taking on challenging cases or pursuing leadership positions. 

Mandisa Maya, Chief Justice of South Africa 

The first woman to ever hold the office of Chief Justice of South Africa, Mandisa Maya has carved new paths and broken glass ceilings for women throughout her judicial career. She attended Duke University on a Fulbright Scholarship - a ‘mindblowing’ change from Apartheid South Africa - then worked at the Women's Legal Defense Fund in Washington, DC, before practicing for several years at the Transkei Bar. First appointed to the judiciary in 1999, Justice Maya has blazed a trail for black women lawyers, and others, over the past quarter century. She became the first black woman ever appointed to the Supreme Court of Appeal, then the first woman to ever be Deputy President, then President. A founder of the South African chapter of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), she has written hundreds of key judgments and been widely praised for her deep knowledge of the law, and commitment to transformation and the promotion of gender equality. 

Tebello Motshwane, founder of Sister in Law South Africa

A dynamic lawyer, entrepreneur and advocate for accessible education, Tebello Motshwane established her own black-owned legal consultancy in December 2016, as she finished her articles. Collective Intelligence (Pty) Ltd specializes in Intellectual Property Law and Company Law matters. “I want to create a platform where a black, female attorney can be judged on merit and not what she can do for a company’s BEE rating,” she told Women in Law eighteen months later. “Young women need to be fierce in pursuing their dreams, they must be bold and take giant leaps of faith.” Since then Tebello has gone on to establish Sister in Law South Africa, a social and digital platform dedicated to empowering women through legal education. Tebello says her mission is “to bridge the gap between legal knowledge and the people who need it most”. She has been called a sharp legal mind with an unshakable passion for justice, who is at the forefront of transformative legal work across Africa. 

Sinenhlanhla Mthembu, founder of Passcara & Partners

In 2020, Sinenhlanhla Passcara Mthembu became one of the youngest lawyers to establish her own firm, when she launched Passcara & Partners in Durban at the age of just 25, after completing her articles. Blending her love for entrepreneurship, digital content creation, and legal practice, Sinenhlanhla also worked on a variety of ‘side hustles’ and businesses before establishing Passcara & Partners, including a makeup company and events company. Discussing female entrepreneurship with Stellenbosch University, she noted that while things had gotten better, it was still a struggle. “We are still looked down upon slightly. It’s very rare to find a female-owned firm.” Understanding she’s become something of a role model, Sinenhlanhla hopes she doesn’t just inspire her generation, but those who are older too. “They remember the dream they had in the back of their minds, and they’ll dust it off and put it into realisation… it’s a matter of people realizing that if these young women entrepreneurs are doing it, then definitely I can also do it.”

Lerisha Naidu, Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie South Africa

Widely recognised as one of Africa’s most outstanding young lawyers, Lerisha Naidu has risen through the ranks at global law firm Baker McKenzie, garnering many awards and accolades along the way, to lead the South African office as Managing Partner. She has been in that role since July 2022, after previously becoming one of the firm’s youngest partners, at the age of 32, and the youngest member of the management board. Lerisha believes people-centricity and human leadership lie at the heart of sustainable business, and notes her appointment as Managing Partner at Baker McKenzie South Africa refutes the false idea that the most experienced and senior lawyer in a firm is its most natural leader. Named Southern African Partner of the Year at the 2023 African Legal Awards, and one of the 100 Most Influential Young South Africans, Lerisha is “rewriting what leadership in law looks like and how it should lead” with her sharp mind, bold leadership, and fierce advocacy for inclusion. 

Safiyya Patel, Managing Partner of Webber Wentzel

One of Africa’s oldest and most respected law firms, Webber Wentzel ushered in a new era when late last year it elected Safiyya Patel as its new Managing Partner, effective March 2025. She became the first black woman to lead Webber Wentzel. Her predecessor Sally Hutton, who had served since 2014 and was the first woman to be elected as a senior leader of a major South African law firm, called Safiyya’s elevation “a defining milestone” in the firm’s transformation journey, while praising Safiyya as “an inclusive leader… well placed to lead the firm through this next chapter”. Speaking with Africa Legal earlier this year, Safiyya said she was conscious of the groundbreaking nature of her appointment, and joining a small group of pioneering female leaders of large full-service firms across Africa. At the same time, she saw herself more as a custodian of the longstanding firm. “We’re looking after this firm and taking it to the next level so we can hand over to the next generation a firm that’s better than the one we have today.”

Annabelle Thomas, General Counsel at L’Oreal SSA

A member of Legal 500’s GC Power List, Annabelle Thomas is an accomplished lawyer who for the past four years has been General Counsel and DPO for Sub-Saharan Africa at L’Oreal, the world’s number one cosmetics company. Annabelle has nearly 20 years’ legal experience, largely in an in-house advisory capacity, with very strong expertise in regulatory, compliance, and corporate law. Recently she was part of the Next Level Ambition integration of L’Oreal’s legal and compliance functions, alongside her global colleagues, a reflection of the company’s “unwavering dedication to responsible corporate citizenship”. The project meshes legal expertise with robust compliance measures to enhance L’Oreal’s ability to navigate the global regulatory landscape, providing clearer guidance for its employees, ensuring sustainable growth, and fostering trust with stakeholders. A future-focused lawyer, Annabelle has said she embraces AI as an opportunity rather than a threat, as it will allow lawyers to be immersed in more meaningful work.