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Theresa Luyt is a multi-disciplinary dispute resolution specialist, family mediator at MV ADR Attorneys (Malan Vermeulen Incorporated), with a practice focused on family and workplace mediation, restorative justice, and court-connected ADR. With a career spanning law, financial services, business ownership, and coaching, Theresa brings a uniquely integrated perspective to conflict resolution. Her work is grounded in the understanding that effective mediation sits at the intersection of legal, emotional, financial, and behavioural dynamics. Theresa holds a B.Proc degree from the University of the Free State and a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning (CFP). Her professional background includes experience as a pension fund administrator, consultant, and compliance officer, as well as managing and operating small to medium-sized businesses in the retail and service sectors. She has been practicing as a mediator since 2016 and is a SJA NABFAM-certified Family Mediator (2020) and a trained Restorative Justice Practitioner (2021). In addition, she is a qualified life and purpose coach and has been applying coaching methodologies in her dispute resolution work since 2014. Theresa plays an active role in developing the mediation profession. As a mediation mentor and NABFAM assessor, she co-leads the Mediation Mentorship Programme at ACR (Pty) Ltd, contributing to the training and accreditation of emerging mediators. She is also involved in advancing access to justice through the ADR Children’s Court Project, operating in the Protea Court (Soweto) and Johannesburg Central Court, where mediation is integrated into the court process to support families in conflict. From 2023 to 2025, Theresa served as Vice Chair of the SJA Exco Committee, advocating for professional standards, governance, and the structured growth of the ADR industry in South Africa.

Aimée is an accredited commercial mediator, lawyer and strategic advisor who helps people and organisations resolve disputes constructively and efficiently. Her career spans commercial law, policy, governance and strategic sustainability advice, including complex construction and infrastructure matters in South Africa and the United Kingdom. She has also advised organisations and senior decision makers on risk, responsible business and navigating complex regulatory and stakeholder environments.

Mokgadi Princelia Semenya is an admitted Advocate of the High Court of South Africa and an accredited Mediator affiliated to Mediation Pan African. She is the founder and sole Director of MMP Consulting, a company that offers bespoke technical and specialist consulting, mediation and training services to commercial enterprises, communal property associations and Land reform entities and has rendered solid consulting services to various emerging black owned and managed land reform entities to ensure compliance with the various legislation that governs such entities. She is a panel member of Land Rights Management Facility (LRMF) of the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development providing mediation /conciliation to parties in terms of Extension of Security of Tenure Act, Labour Tenants Act, Restitution of Land Rights Act and Communal Property Association Act. She served her Practical Vocational Training at Malele Attorneys Incorporated as a Candidate Attorney. She handled commercial and general litigation files, she appeared in the Magistrate Court on various civil matters including criminal matters, and she also appeared in tribunals such as Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), various bargaining councils and represented clients at disciplinary hearings on labour matters. She is a former employee of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. She has 5 years’ experience in mediating disputes between landholders and farm dwellers, communities whose rights are affected by the mining operations, traditional authorities and communities residing on the communal properties, particularly regarding evictions, tenure security and land claims. She developed interest in alternative dispute resolution during her tenure in the Department while engaging with various stakeholders.

Shoki Mphela | Attorney & Accredited Mediator Shoki Mphela is an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa with 12 years’ post-qualification experience and an accredited Commercial and Personal Injury Mediator since 2019. Her practice encompasses commercial law, complex litigation, corporate governance and strategic dispute resolution. Her mediation approach is commercially focused, pragmatic and solution-oriented. She recognises that disputes are rarely confined to legal issues and therefore considers the underlying commercial interests, risk, relationships and practical realities affecting the parties. Shoki draws on evaluative, transformative and narrative mediation techniques, adapting her approach to the nature and complexity of each dispute. Her litigation experience enables her to critically assess legal and evidentiary issues, litigation risk, proportionality and settlement prospects, while maintaining an impartial and constructive mediation process. Her experience in personal injury litigation extends from medical malpractice and professional negligence to product liability and other complex injury claims. This experience gives her a practical understanding of the evidentiary, quantum, causation and liability issues that often make these disputes particularly difficult to resolve. She is particularly well suited to commercial and contractual disputes, personal injury and medical malpractice matters, product liability, professional negligence, public liability, construction and mining disputes, employment-related conflict, and matters involving public institutions and organs of state. Her objective is straightforward: to assist parties to move from entrenched positions to informed, commercially viable and durable resolutions—while preserving relationships and avoiding the cost, delay and uncertainty of prolonged litigation where a negotiated resolution is achievable.

Accredited divorce and civil mediator since 2019 and 2023, respectively. Further postgraduate study in mediation and dispute resolution generally. Based in Windhoek, Namibia but available in Cape Town and online. Not admitted in South Africa, but LLB and LLM were completed at UCT and I have South African experience in mediation and adjudication, and advisory work generally. I studied Banking, Tax and Insurance Law during my LLB, with general electives in finance and economics. I also hold RE5 accreditation with the FSCA. My experience in civil litigation has involved banking, insurance and property disputes in Namibia. In South Africa I have experience of CSOS adjudication proceedings involving sectional title property disputes. Divorce mediation rarely involves a dispute based purely on family matters. In such a case parties are often better suited to counselling and mediators of a non-legal background. In matters that have grown beyond the breakdown of a relationship and family dynamics, additional expertise is required in other areas. My approach is to direct mediation towards systematically resolving the non-family related matters first. There are usually complicated arrangements regarding the finances, financial commitments, property and other resources of the parties. Some of these need to be divided, and others need to be utilised according to a legal arrangement that is practical, considering the changing lives of the parties as a divorce proceeds. If an effective solution to the non-family shared interests of the parties is reached, the mediation of the family dispute itself is more likely to succeed. This approach can be used prior to, or during divorce proceedings, reducing hostility and increasing the chance of an earlier amicable settlement at reduced cost. The approach can also be used after a divorce order has already been granted, but which has been difficult to implement in practice and has caused contention between the parties.

Thivhulawi Griffith Mudau is an Advocate with a career in the legal environment spanning over two decades. He completed his LLB degree in 2004, thereafter served as a candidate attorney, and is today a practising Advocate with a broad practice across labour and employment law, civil litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. ln 2024, he converted to a Trust Advocate and obtained a Fidelity Fund Certificate, enabling him to operate a Trust account and accept direct briefs from the public as a member in good standing with the Legal Practice Council. He is currently an active practitioner handling high-profile mediations. employment disputes, and civil claims across South Africa.

Shamain Alli Dadabhai – Professional Mediator Shamain Alli Dadabhai is a highly sought after mediator known for her calm authority, sharp legal insight, and exceptional ability to resolve even the most complex and emotionally charged disputes. As an attorney, Senior Commissioner (part time) at the CCMA, and experienced facilitator, she brings more than two decades of multidisciplinary expertise to every mediation. Clients choose Shamain because she offers structured, dignified, and results driven mediation across: • Labour and workplace disputes • Commercial and organisational conflicts • Family and parenting matters • Medico legal, personal injury and RAF negotiations Her approach is practical, balanced, and deeply human. She helps parties move from entrenched positions to clear understanding, workable options, and sustainable agreements. With advanced skill in high conflict management, power imbalance mitigation, and trauma sensitive practice, Shamain creates a safe, respectful space where people feel heard and empowered to make informed decisions. Whether guiding employers and employees through complex workplace issues, supporting families in transition, or facilitating negotiations involving insurers, experts and claimants, Shamain is known for her professionalism, fairness, and unwavering commitment to durable resolution. Clients describe her as steady, insightful, and exceptionally effective. Panels value her for her ethical rigour, procedural clarity, and ability to unlock movement where others cannot.

Karen Malan is an attorney, accredited family and divorce mediator, RAF and personal injury mediator, and dispute resolution strategist, serving as Director at Malan Vermeulen Incorporated (MV Inc) and Managing Director of Alternative Conflict Resolution (Pty) Ltd. With over two decades of legal and business experience, Karen operates at the forefront of alternative dispute resolution in South Africa, with a particular focus on family mediation, court-connected ADR, and large-scale mediation programme implementation. Karen holds both a B.Proc and LLB from the University of the Free State and was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 1997. Her career spans though private legal practice, corporate advisory roles (including Standard Bank), and entrepreneurial ventures across business and nonprofit sectors. She is a NABFAM-accredited family and divorce mediator and holds advanced training in family mediation, divorce mediation, psychology for family mediation, and RAF (Road Accident Fund) mediation. She is also DiSAC-accredited in personal injury and RAF claims mediation. Karen plays a central leadership role in advancing ADR accessibility and standards. She is the Project Director of the ADR Court Project, which integrates mediation into the Children’s Court system in Protea (Soweto) and Johannesburg Central, expanding access to justice for families in high-conflict environments. As Managing Director of ACR Community NPC, she is actively involved in developing community-based mediation initiatives and scalable ADR frameworks. Her leadership in the profession includes serving as an EXCO Member of the Social Justice Association (SJA) of ADR Practitioners (2024–2025), contributing to governance, accreditation standards, and professional development within the mediation sector. Karen’s work has been formally recognised, including receiving an award for Best Mediation Contribution (2024) from ProBono.Org, reflecting her impact on access to justice and the development of mediation in South Africa.