Wim Trengove

Trengove was born on 27 October 1949.{{Cite journal |date=October 1993 |title=The Chairman's contribution |url=https://www.gcbsa.co.za/law-journals/1993/october/1993-october-vol006-no2-pp104-105.pdf |journal=Consultus |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=104}} His parents were liberal Afrikaans-speakers,{{Cite news |last=Beresford |first=David |date=2006-11-23 |title=A law unto himself |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/nov/23/worlddispatch.southafrica |access-date=2024-01-28 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} and his father, J. J. Trengove, was an advocate and later a judge of the Supreme Court.{{Cite web |last=Wicks |first=Bernadette |date=2021-10-09 |title=From presidents to paupers, Wim Trengove has defended them all |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/special-features/from-president-to-paupers-trengove-has-defended-them-all/ |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=The Citizen |language=en}} Initially interested in a career as a civil engineer, he instead studied law after serving his conscripted service in the South African Defence Force. He graduated from the University of Pretoria with a BCom LLB cum laude.

In 1975, Trengove joined the bar in Johannesburg. Although he had intended to specialise in commercial law, he gained a reputation for handling labour law briefs and political trials involving anti-apartheid activists. He took silk in 1987 and served stints both as chairman of the Johannesburg Bar Council and as chairman of the General Council of the Bar.

In the post-apartheid period, Trengove specialises in administrative law, constitutional law, and human rights law matters,{{Cite web |date=2020-08-18 |title=Wim Trengove SC |url=https://www.thulamela.com/thulamela-members/wim-trengove |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Thulamela Chambers |language=en-US}} and he is best known for his appearances in the Constitutional Court of South Africa. Indeed, he argued in the certification of the Constitution itself.{{Cite web |title=Certification of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (CCT 23/96) [1996] ZACC 26; 1996 (4) SA 744 (CC); 1996 (10) BCLR 1253 (CC) (6 September 1996) |url=http://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZACC/1996/26.html |access-date=17 April 2020 |website=saflii.org}} In human rights matters, Trengove argued, inter alia, for the abolition of the death penalty in S v Makwanyane,{{Cite web|url=http://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZACC/1995/3.html|title=S v Makwanyane and Another (CCT3/94) [1995] ZACC 3; 1995 (6) BCLR 665; 1995 (3) SA 391; [1996] 2 CHRLD 164; 1995 (2) SACR 1 (6 June 1995)|website=saflii.org|access-date=17 April 2020}} against discrimination on the basis of HIV status in Hoffmann v South African Airways,{{Cite web|url=http://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZACC/2000/17.html|title=Hoffmann v South African Airways (CCT17/00) [2000] ZACC 17; 2001 (1) SA 1; 2000 (11) BCLR 1211; [2000] 12 BLLR 1365 (CC) (28 September 2000)|website=saflii.org|access-date=17 April 2020}} for the protection of sex workers' labour rights in Kylie v CCMA,{{Cite web|url=http://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZALAC/2010/8.html|title=Kylie v Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration and Others (CA10/08) [2010] ZALAC 8; 2010 (4) SA 383 (LAC); 2010 (10) BCLR 1029 (LAC); (2010) 31 ILJ 1600 (LAC); [2010] 7 BLLR 705 (LAC) (26 May 2010)|website=saflii.org|access-date=17 April 2020}} for the restitution of land and mineral rights to groups dispossessed during apartheid in Alexkor Ltd v Richtersveld Community,{{Cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Diamonds-are-for-Richtersveld-20031014|title=Diamonds are for Richtersveld|date=14 October 2003|website=News24|language=en|access-date=17 April 2020}} and for the roll-out of anti-retroviral treatment for HIV patients in Minister of Health v Treatment Action Campaign.{{Cite web|url=http://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZACC/2002/15.html|title=Minister of Health and Others v Treatment Action Campaign and Others (No 2) (CCT8/02) [2002] ZACC 15; 2002 (5) SA 721; 2002 (10) BCLR 1033 (5 July 2002)|website=saflii.org|access-date=17 April 2020}} He also represented mineworkers in a class action to claim damages from mining companies for damages due to the widespread contraction of silicosis;{{Cite web|url=https://www.groundup.org.za/article/silicosis-case-mines-are-being-obstructive_3426/|title=Silicosis case: mines are being obstructive, say miners' lawyers|last=Lewis|first=Pete|date=23 October 2015|website=GroundUp News|language=en|access-date=17 April 2020}} the $400 million settlement in favour of the miners was the largest in South African history.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-safrica-mining-silicosis-idUSKBN1I41B9|title=South Africa miners reach $400 million silicosis settlement with mining companies|date=3 May 2018|agency=Reuters|access-date=17 April 2020|language=en}} Other notable constitutional matters in which he appeared include Economic Freedom Fighters v Speaker, National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality v Minister of Home Affairs, Kruger v President of the Republic of South Africa, My Vote Counts v Speaker of the National Assembly, and Corruption Watch v President.

Trengove has been active in high-profile political cases, representing former president Nelson Mandela, including in his divorce from Winnie Madikizela-Mandela,{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/no-fairy-tale-ending-as-court-gives-nelson-mandela-divorce-1.35467|title=No 'fairy-tale ending' as court gives Nelson Mandela divorce|last=Block|first=Robert|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=17 April 2020}} leading the prosecution of former president Jacob Zuma on charges of corruption,{{Cite web|url=https://city-press.news24.com/News/trengove-zuma-flourished-amidst-delayed-prosecution-20190523|title=Trengove: Zuma flourished during time of delayed prosecution|last=Khumalo|first=Juniour|date=23 May 2019|website=CityPress|language=en|access-date=17 April 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Wim Trengove: Zuma can’t rely on spy tapes for permanent stay of prosecution|url=https://ewn.co.za/2019/05/23/wim-trengove-zuma-can-t-rely-on-spy-tapes-for-permanent-stay-of-prosecution|last=Manyathela|first=Clement|website=ewn.co.za|language=en|access-date=23 May 2020}} and representing President Cyril Ramaphosa in his dispute with the Public Protector.{{Cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/reckless-reckless-reckless-mkhwebane-thumbsucked-facts-in-finding-against-ramaphosa-court-hears-20200204|title='Reckless, reckless, reckless!' – Mkhwebane 'thumbsucked' facts in finding against Ramaphosa, court hears|date=4 February 2020|website=News24|language=en|access-date=17 April 2020}} Trengove was outspoken about the National Prosecuting Authority's decision in 2008 to withdraw its corruption charges against Zuma, criticising the decision at a public lecture at the University of Cape Town, where Trengove is an honorary professor.{{Cite web|url=http://www.publiclaw.uct.ac.za/news/advocate-wim-trengove-uct|title=Advocate Wim Trengove at UCT {{!}} Department of Public Law|website=publiclaw.uct.ac.za|language=en|access-date=17 April 2020}}

Trengove met his second wife, {{Nee|Estelle Viljoen}}, in the 1980s, when she was a journalist covering one of his cases in Pretoria. He has six children, one of whom is film director John Trengove.

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• [https://gcbsa.co.za/law-journals/2017/april/2017-april-vol030-no1-pp49-50.pdf "How to argue like Wim Trengove"] in Advocate (April 2017)

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Category:Living people

Category:1949 births

Category:20th-century South African lawyers

Category:21st-century South African lawyers

Category:University of Pretoria alumni

Category:South African Senior Counsel

Category:Human rights lawyers

Category:Afrikaner people