The South African Commercial Law Blog is written and managed by Don Mahon. Mahon is an Advocate (Barrister) and Arbitrator specialising in commercial litigation.

In May 2022 he was recommended by the Johannesburg Society of Advocates for the conferment of the status senior counsel and awaits signature of his letters patent by the State President, Mr Ramaphosa.

He has been a member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates since 2005 (where he has served on the Johannesburg Bar Council) and is a member of the Maisels Group of Advocates, where he serves on the management committee.

Mahon is a member of the Association of Arbitrators of Southern Africa and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

He is the founder of the Mahon Foundation, a charitable foundation focusing on education based initiatives and outreach programmes within South Africa.

In 2013 he was featured in the Mail & Guardian’s list of 200 Young South Africans.

He has written numerous articles which have been published online and in a number of legal publications.

His articles have been cited with approval by the High Court of South Africa and quoted in judgments of that court.

He is currently co-counsel in the class action against the Steinhoff group of companies, their auditors, directors and investment bankers for shareholders’ losses in the region of R185 Billion Rand.

QUALIFICATIONS

He has acted in numerous commercial matters over the past number of years, acting for and against some of South Africa’s largest and most prominent companies, including banks, mining houses and other entities listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

He is admitted to practice in Botswana, where he has represented government parastatals in various matters and has prepared opinions for consideration by Cabinet and Government departments.

REPORTED AND NOTEWORTHY CASES

Industrial Law Journal

• Amazwi Power Products (Pty) Ltd v Turnbull (2008) 29 ILJ 2554 (LAC)

South African Law Reports and All SA Reports

• Haitas and Others v Port Wild Props 12 (Pty) Ltd 2011 (5) SA (GSJ)
• Oakdene Square Properties (Pty) Ltd v Farm Bothasfontein (Kyalami) (Pty) Ltd 2012 (3) SA 273 (GSJ) (Drew Heads of Argument, not available for presentation of argument)
• ABSA Bank Limited v Newcity Group (Pty) Ltd and another related matter [2013] 3 All SA 146 (GSJ)
• ABSA Bank Limited v Newcity Group (Pty) Limited and another related matter
  [2012] JOL 29353 (GSJ)
• Oakdene Square Properties (Pty) Ltd and Others v Farm Bothasfontein (Kyalami) (Pty) Ltd and Others 2013 (4) SA 539 (SCA), also reported at [2013] 3 All SA 303 (SCA)
• Zietsman and Another v Directorate Of Market Abuse and Another 2016 (1) SA 218 (GP)
• Nova Property Group Holdings Ltd and Others v Cobett and Another 2016 (4) SA 317 (SCA), also reported at [2016] 3 All SA 32 (SCA)
• Arendse and Others v Van der Merwe and Another NNO 2016 (6) SA 490 (GJ), also reported at [2016] 4 All SA 48 (GJ)
• Mohamed’s Leisure Holdings (Pty) Ltd v Southern Sun Hotel Interests (Pty) Ltd 2017 (4) SA 243 (GJ)
• Octagon Chartered Accountants v Additional Magistrate, Johannesburg, And Others 2018 (4) SA 498 (GJ)
• Bragge v Douglasdale Dairy (Pty) Ltd 2018 (4) SA 409 (GJ)
• Douglasdale Dairy (Pty) Ltd And Others v Bragge And Another 2018 (4) SA 425 (SCA)
• Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and Others v Prince and Others 2018 (6) SA 393 (CC)
• Shaw and Another v Mackintosh and Another 2019 (1) SA 398 (SCA)
• LS v RL 2019 (4) SA 50 (GJ)
• Hlumisa Investment Holdings RF Ltd and Another v Kirkinis and Others 2019 (4) SA 569 (GP).

JOL Reports

• Waterfall Hills Residents Association NPC v Jordaan and another
  [2019] JOL 40786 (GJ)

SAFLII

Supreme Court of Appeal

• Butler v Van Zyl 2014 JDR 1139 (SCA) (also reported at (554/13) [2014] ZASCA 81 (30 May 2014)
• Newcity Group (Pty) Limited v Pellow NO and Others (577/2013) [2014] ZASCA 162 (1 October 2014)

North Gauteng High Court

• Thema v Law Society of the Northern Provinces and Others [2007] ZAGPHC 184
• SPX Technologies (Pty) Ltd v Betterect (Pty) Ltd (35421/07) [2010] ZAGPPHC 234
• Tecmed (Pty) Ltd and Others v Sojitz Corporation [2011] ZAPGJHC 147
• Absa Bank Limited v Naude NO and Another (66088/2012, 66087/2012) [2014] ZAGPPHC 181 (24 January 2014)
• Ombud for Financial Services Providers v Harms NO and Others (46293/15) [2017] ZAGPPHC 812 (22 February 2017)
• Thumos Properties 1 (Pty) Ltd v Villa Retail Park Investments (Pty) Ltd and Others (21499/2014) [2018] ZAGPPHC 278 (2 May 2018)

South Gauteng High Court

• Marathon Earthmovers CC v Dos Santos and Another [2012] ZAGP JHC 221
• Van Zyl v Nuco Chrome Bophutatswana (Pty) Ltd and Others (43825/12) [2013] ZAGPJHC 40
• Newcity Group (Pty) Ltd v Pellow NO and Others, China Construction Bank Corporation Johannesburg Branch v Crystal Lagoon Investments 53 (Pty) Ltd and Others (12/45437, 16566/12) [2013] ZAGPJHC 54
• Absa Bank Limited v Cohen (32870/12) [2014] ZAGPJHC 250 (3 June 2014)
• Siebels Hard Asset Fund Limited v Pouroulis (44754/14) [2015] ZAGPJHC 247 (28 October 2015