Van Gend Botha

Van Gend Botha is an advocate with more than 40 years’ experience, first as an attorney and since 2013 as an advocate. He obtained a B. Proc degree from North West University, a Bachelor of Law from UNISA and a Master’s degree in Law from University of Pretoria. During 2020 he completed the 64h Family Mediation course at the Mediation Academy and was certified as a mediator and negotiator by ADR-International and is also a member of ADR South Africa. Van Gend is also a member of SAMLA and is part of the RAF mediation pilot project, which is being undertaken by SAMLA.

He spent the greater part of his professional career in resolving challenges pertaining to land tenure and the development of low-cost housing. He was appointed as legal coordinator of the Transfer of Residential Properties-project by the Gauteng Provincial Government during 1994. This position involved the appointment and training of approximately 120 attorneys and advocates to perform adjudications of housing disputes on behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government. 

This transfer of residential properties started in 1994 and is still ongoing. His involvement spanned the period 1994 to 2004, during which time 26 000 housing disputes were successfully adjudicated and a total of 260 000 houses were transferred to formerly disadvantaged persons.

Van Gend recently acted as ombudsman to investigate disputes between a mine group and its mining employees regarding the quality of houses erected on behalf of the employees. At present he is involved in a project under the auspices of Pro Bono.Org to resolve the challenges posed by the so-called family houses which, according to family members belong to all of them, but which are usually registered in the name of only one family member, who may decide to act contrary to the wishes of the other family members. These challenges should be resolved through mediation, which would prevent any family feuds, which may occur in litigation.