Gerrie Nel

Nel matriculated from Hoërskool Piet Potgieter in Potgietersrus in the Limpopo province in 1979,{{cite news|last=Lourens|first=Charmaine|title=Gerrie Nel 'n ou bekende|url=http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/polokwane/polokwane-news-general?oid=8208675&sn=Detail&pid=4730479&Gerrie-Nel--n-ou-bekende|language=Afrikaans|trans-title=Gerrie Nel an old familiar|accessdate=13 May 2014|work=looklocal|date=13 March 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513182313/http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/polokwane/polokwane-news-general?oid=8208675&sn=Detail&pid=4730479&Gerrie-Nel--n-ou-bekende|archivedate=13 May 2014 |url-status=live}}
- {{cite news|last=Cowell|first=Alan|title=Pistorius Versus the Pit Bull: Fierce Prosecutor Shares Stage|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/14/world/africa/pistorius-murder-trial.html|accessdate=13 May 2014|newspaper=The New York Times|date=13 April 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423123953/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/14/world/africa/pistorius-murder-trial.html|archivedate=23 April 2014|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Carstens|first=Sonja|title='Bulhond'-Gerrie 'n gunsteling onder kleintjies|url=http://www.rapport.co.za/Nuus/Nuus/Bulhond-Gerrie-n-gunsteling-onder-kleintjies-20140412|language=Afrikaans|trans-title='Bulldog'-Gerrie a favourite among children|accessdate=13 May 2014|newspaper=Rapport|date=13 April 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513180417/http://www.rapport.co.za/Nuus/Nuus/Bulhond-Gerrie-n-gunsteling-onder-kleintjies-20140412|archivedate=13 May 2014|url-status=live}} and studied law in Pretoria.{{cite news|last=England|first=Andrew|title=Gerrie Nel, Pistorius's pit bull prosecutor|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/29f1eef6-c491-11e3-8dd4-00144feabdc0.html#axzz31fozYBCX|accessdate=14 May 2014|newspaper=Financial Times|date=18 April 2014}}

Nel started working as a prosecutor in 1984. He was a junior prosecutor in the trial of Clive Derby-Lewis and Janusz Waluś, who were both convicted in connection with the assassination of anti-apartheid activist Chris Hani in 1993.{{cite news|title=Pistorius case: Nel a prosecutor with the 'golden touch'|url=http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2014/02/20/pistorius-case-nel-a-prosecutor-with-the-golden-touch|accessdate=13 May 2014|newspaper=The Sowetan|date=20 February 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125037/http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2014/02/20/pistorius-case-nel-a-prosecutor-with-the-golden-touch|archivedate=13 April 2014|url-status=live}} He was the Gauteng Regional Head of the NPA's Directorate of Special Operations (Scorpions) business unit from its inception in 1999 until it was disbanded in 2009.

Nel led the prosecution in the trial of former national police commissioner and Interpol president Jackie Selebi, who was convicted of corruption in 2010. In 2012 he received two awards in recognition of his work on the Selebi case. He was named Prosecutor of the Year by the local Society of State Advocates and received a Special Achievement Award from the International Association of Prosecutors for "fierce pursuit of the vision of the National Prosecuting Authority's ideals to achieve justice in society".{{cite web |title=IAP Awards – 2012 Bangkok, Thailand |url=http://www.iap-association.org/About/IAP-Awards/Roll-of-Honour-1996-2013/2012-Bangkok,-Thailand |publisher=IAP |accessdate=13 May 2014 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6PY5QuiK4?url=http://www.iap-association.org/About/IAP-Awards/Roll-of-Honour-1996-2013/2012-Bangkok,-Thailand |archivedate=13 May 2014 |url-status=live}}
- {{cite news|last=Samodien|first=Leila|title=Advocate who put Selebi behind bars wins global award|url=http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/advocate-who-put-selebi-behind-bars-wins-global-award-1.1314398#.U3IzYoGSyyg|accessdate=13 May 2014|newspaper=IOL|date=8 June 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626105827/http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/advocate-who-put-selebi-behind-bars-wins-global-award-1.1314398|archivedate=26 June 2012|url-status=live}}

Nel was the lead prosecutor in the 2014 trial of Oscar Pistorius for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp and several gun-related charges.{{cite news |last=Smith |first=David |title=Key players in the Oscar Pistorius trial |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/28/key-players-oscar-pistorius-trial |accessdate=13 May 2014 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=28 February 2014 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6O4tl7VU0?url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/28/key-players-oscar-pistorius-trial |archivedate=14 March 2014 |url-status=live }}
- {{cite news|title=INFOGRAPHIC: The State vs Oscar Pistorius |url=http://www.news24.com/Multimedia/South-Africa/INFOGRAPHIC-The-State-vs-Oscar-Pistorius-20140302 |accessdate=11 March 2014 |publisher=News24 |date=2 March 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311181224/http://www.news24.com/Multimedia/South-Africa/INFOGRAPHIC-The-State-vs-Oscar-Pistorius-20140302 |archivedate=11 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}
- {{cite news|title=Oscar Pistorius trial: Key players|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26386952|accessdate=13 May 2014|newspaper=BBC News|date=3 March 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513074821/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26386952|archivedate=13 May 2014|url-status=live}}

In January 2017, he resigned from his position as a prosecutor at the NPA,{{cite news|title=Prosecutor Gerrie Nel quits|url=http://m.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/News/breaking-prosecutor-gerrie-nel-quits-20170131|accessdate=19 August 2017|newspaper=News 24|date=31 January 2017}} joining AfriForum with the aim of setting up a private prosecutions unit,{{cite news|title=Gerrie Nel to join forces with AfriForum |url=http://m.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/News/breaking-gerrie-nel-to-join-forces-with-afriforum-20170131|accessdate=19 August 2017|newspaper=News 24|date=31 January 2017}} which AfriForum said would operate in the interests of all South Africans.{{cite news|title=New prosecuting unit in the interest of all South Africans - AfriForum|url=http://m.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/News/new-prosecuting-unit-in-the-interest-of-all-south-africans-afriforum-20170131|accessdate=19 August 2017|newspaper=News 24|date=31 January 2017}}.

Nel once competed in wrestling at a provincial level.{{cite book|last=Basson|first=Adriaan|title=Finish & Klaar: Selebi's Fall from Interpol to the Underworld|date=2010|publisher=Tafelberg|location=Cape Town|isbn=9780624049395}} He teaches children wrestling in the evenings.{{cite news|title=Gerrie Nel teaches kids wrestling|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/gerrie-nel-teaches-kids-wrestling-1.1675220#.U3JaU4GSyyg|accessdate=13 May 2014|newspaper=IOL|date=13 April 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513180229/http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/gerrie-nel-teaches-kids-wrestling-1.1675220|archivedate=13 May 2014|url-status=live}}

• 2012 – Society of State Advocates Ukugqwesa Prosecutor of the Year Award
• 2012 – International Association of Prosecutors Special Achievement Award

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https://www.twitter.com/gerrienel_adv/

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Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century South African lawyers

Category:Afrikaner people

Category:21st-century South African lawyers

Category:South African prosecutors