Judge Bernard Makgabo Ngoepe SC (born 22 October 1947) is a South African Judge serving as Tax Ombudsman of South Africa since 2013. He was the Chancellor of the

University of South Africa The University of South Africa (UNISA), known colloquially as Unisa, is the largest university system in South Africa by enrollment. It attracts a third of all higher education students in South Africa. Through various colleges and affiliates, U ...

from 2011 to 2016.

Early life and education

Ngoepe was born in Pietersburg and matriculated at Hebron Institute in Pretoria North in 1967. After school he obtained a BIuris from the University of the North in 1972 and an LL.B. degree from

Unisa The University of South Australia (UniSA) is a public research university in the Australian state of South Australia. It is a founding member of the Australian Technology Network of universities, and is the largest university in South Australi ...

Career

Ngoepe was admitted as an

attorney Attorney may refer to: * Lawyer ** Attorney at law, in some jurisdictions * Attorney, one who has power of attorney * ''The Attorney'', a 2013 South Korean film See also * Attorney general, the principal legal officer of (or advisor to) a gove ...

and practised as such for seven years before being admitted as an

advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...

in 1983. In 1984 he joined the Pretoria

Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...

and in November 1994, he took silk. He received his first acting position as Judge of the

Transvaal Provincial Division The Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa is a superior court of law which has general jurisdiction over the South African province of Gauteng and the eastern part of North West province. The main seat of the division is at Pretoria, w ...

for the period February 1995 to June 1995. He was permanently appointed to the Bench in the Transvaal Provincial Division in July 1995. Ngoepe served as an Acting judge of the

Constitutional Court of South Africa The Constitutional Court of South Africa is a supreme court, supreme constitutional court established by the Constitution of South Africa, and is the apex court in the South African judicial system, with general jurisdiction. The Court was fi ...

from 15 August 1995 to the end of September 1995. He was also the Chancellor of the University of South Africa (Unisa) until December 2016 In 2013, Ngoepe was appointed as the first Tax Ombudsman of South Africa. In September 2016, the South African Treasury extended Judge Ngoepe's term of office as the Tax Ombudsman for a further three years.

Other Positions Held

* Tax Ombud of South Africa (first term 2013 to 2016) (extended for a second three year term in 2016) *Judge of the African Union's African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights from 2006 to 2014 *Chancellor,

*Chairperson, Magistrates’ Commission *Member,

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

Environment Programme Global Alliance of Judges on Environmental Law and participant in the United Nations Environment Programme Global Judges Programme Initiatives *Member, Court of Military Appeals *Chairperson, Military Legal Services Division Review Council *Military Appeals. Judge President,

Transvaal Provincial Division of the High Court of South Africa The Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa is a superior court of law which has general jurisdiction over the South African province of Gauteng and the eastern part of North West province. The main seat of the division is at Pretoria, ...

*Acting Judge, Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein *Member, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Amnesty Committee *Acting Judge,

(1995) *Judge, Transvaal Provincial Division of the High Court of South Africa *Member, Technical Committee on Constitutional Issues (the Committee drafted the Constitution) *Senior Counsel,

High Court of South Africa The High Court of South Africa is a superior court of law in South Africa. It is divided into nine provincial divisions, some of which sit in more than one location. Each High Court division has general jurisdiction over a defined geographical ...

*Advocate,

*Founding Member, Black Lawyers Association *Private Practice (1976–1983)

Publications and writings

Final report: Commission of Inquiry into the Ellis Park Stadium Soccer Disaster of 11 April 2001
(2002)

Awards

South African Human Rights Award

References

South African judges Judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights Living people 1947 births South African Senior Counsel South African judges of international courts and tribunals {{SouthAfrica-bio-stub