HNM ATTORNEYS

Peter focuses on advisory services in commercial law, public law, labour law and dispute resolution.  He has conducted numerous commissions of inquiry and forensic investigations for national and provincial government as well as state owned institutions and has also managed and facilitated complex and sensitive multi-stakeholder facilitations and chaired numerous disciplinary inquiries both in the public sector and the private sector.  His clients include governments, state owned entities and blue chip corporates. Peter has many years’ experience in the practice and provision of legal services and qualified as a mediator and arbitrator in 1986.  He has conducted over 1,000 mediations in the labour, commercial and community arena.  In addition, he led the establishment of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration  (“CCMA”) in 1996 and was Chief Director for the Monitoring Directorate of the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (“IEC”) in 1994 (responsible for ensuring the freeness and fairness of South Africa’s first democratic election in April 1994).

Peter was a co-founder and Managing Partner of Cheadle Thompson & Haysom where he was also legal advisor to the African National Congress (ANC) national office, the COSATU executive, numerous anti-apartheid organisations, several international organisations and governments and was a technical advisor to the South African Constituent Assembly.

In April 1993, he was appointed Director of the Wits/Vaal region of the National Peace Accord and was responsible for brokering a number of the agreements between the political parties in order to assist peace and stability in South Africa.

In 1995 he was appointed Director of Programmes of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance in Stockholm, and was responsible for all electoral and conflict resolution programmes worldwide. This involved advising governments in Africa, Latin America, Australasia and Eastern Europe. He is also an operations consultant to the United Nations (EAD) and has advised in numerous countries for the UN.

On his return to South Africa, Peter co-founded the Resolve Group, a management consultancy, in March 1999, where he was the Managing Director for ten years and then Executive Chairman (bought by Ernst and Young in October 2012).

Since co-founding HNM, Peter continues to advise corporates and governments at senior levels and has successfully litigated on behalf of the President of South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In addition, he is the editor of the publication “Democracy and Deep Rooted Conflict:  Options for Negotiators”, foreword by the former Secretary General of the United Nations Mr Kofi Anan (1998).  He is also the author of the book “In a Different Time, the Inside Story of the Delmas Four” which was the winner of the 2009 Sunday Times Alan Paton award for best non-fiction book of the year, winner of the Jenny Crwys-Williams best non-fiction book of 2009 and the Jenny Crwys-Williams Book Club Book of the Year award and the South African Booksellers Choice Award of 2009, as well as “Birth”, the inside story of the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa and a novel, “Bare Ground”.

Charles is an attorney and an ADR specialist and is a CEDR accredited commercial mediator. After several years of legal practice, most notably at the Legal Resources Centre, a public interest law firm, where he served under Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson, he was appointed executive director of the Independent Mediation Service of South Africa in 1987. From 1987 to 1995 he steered IMSSA’s growth into a national organisation, and conducted several hundred mediations and arbitrations across all sectors of the South African economy.

In the early 1990’s, during a time of heightened political conflict, he chaired the Soweto Peace Committee.

In 1994 he was appointed as a commissioner of the Independent Electoral Commission which oversaw South Africa’s first national democratic elections.

In 1995/6, under the auspices of the ILO he assisted in the establishment of the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (“CCMA”), South Africa’s first national public dispute settlement agency and then served as the CCMA’s first executive director.

From 1998 to 2008 he directed technical co-operation projects in Africa for the International Labour Organisation a Geneva based UN agency

Charles has facilitated labour law reform projects and the establishment of several national dispute settlement agencies in Southern African countries. This work required him to establish relationships with government, business and unions at a senior level in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. In addition he has undertaken work with the tripartite partners in Angola, Nigeria and Tanzania.

Since 2008 he has been consulting in the field of employee relations and has been involved in high level interventions to resolve commercial disputes, labour disputes, and to address dysfunctional relationships and systems in corporate settings and in professional service firms. He has also managed major multi stakeholder negotiations in both the public and private sectors.

Charles serves on the board of Resource Africa an NGO committed to promoting sustainable resource management to benefit rural communities in Southern Africa.  He has served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Cape Town.

In 2009 he received Tokiso’s Mediator of the Year award.

Charles has served as an adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Cape Town and in 2022 received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the University of Witwatersrand. In his legal practice he advises clients and litigates in Commercial and Employment disputes. He mediates commercial and labour disputes, conducts forensic investigations, arbitrates labour disputes and chairs disciplinary enquiries. His clients are drawn from both the Private and Public Sectors.

Basetsana Molebatsi is a qualified attorney, co-founder and director of HNM with over twenty-four years’ experience in Corporate and Commercial Law, Corporate Governance, Risk and Compliance, Public Law, including Educational law; and Technology and Telecommunications.

Before establishing HNM, Basetsana was a Director at Dm5 Inc. – a law firm in Johannesburg. Prior to that, she held the position of managing director at Nozala Trust, a broad-based shareholder of Nozala Investments (Pty) Ltd with a mandate to fund and develop SMME business ventures established and run by previously disadvantaged women.

Basetsana gained her experience and exposure in intellectual property law at Spoor and Fisher, where she completed her articles and conducted her trade as a junior attorney.  Thereafter she moved on to pursue her passion in public and constitutional law at the Open Democracy Advice Centre, a public interest law center established by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (“IDASA”).

Basetsana read for her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws Degrees (“BA” and “LLB”) at Wits University. In 2003, she completed a certificate course on Advanced Administrative law at the University of Cape Town and in 2005 she completed a certificate course on Comparative Media Law and Policy from Oriel College at Oxford University.

Basetsana is very alive to issues related to risk, governance and compliance law and has extensive experience and expertise advising clients in relation to compliance with the Companies Act 71, 2008, King Codes, the Public Finance Management Act, 1 of 1999 (“PFMA”) and Treasury Regulations.

In relation to corporate governance, Basetsana has sat on numerous boards, including: Chairperson of the Women’s Legal Centre Trust, a public interest law centre focusing on the advancement and enforcement of women’s rights in South Africa; on the panel of the disciplinary committee of the National Soccer League of South Africa; and a member of the Gauteng Cricket Board. Until recently, she was on the board of the Ombudsman for Banking Services of South Africa.

Currently, Basetsana is an independent non-executive director of Maziv (Pty) Ltd, as well as its subsidiary companies, Vumatel (Pty) Ltd and Dark Fibre Africa (Pty) Ltd, Smart Biotech (Pty) Ltd as well as the Independent Examinations Board (“IEB”). In addition, Basetsana is also a member of the Investment Committee of PAPE Fund III and Fund IV, a private equity fund, based in Johannesburg. In 2019, Basetsana was appointed by the President of South Africa, Mr. Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, as a member of his Presidential Advisory Review Panel into Intelligence.

Basetsana is an accredited mediator and is on a panel of mediators and arbitrators of Tokiso Dispute Resolution Services and Conflict Dynamics. She has conducted numerous mediations to resolve commercial disputes, employment disputes, and to address dysfunctional relationships and systems in corporate settings, as well as discrimination issues.

Rethabile has a general law practice with an emphasis on commercial law, philanthropy law, public law, constitutional court and high court litigation, labour law advisory and dispute resolution.

In 2015, Rethabile received SASLAW’s best performer in labour law award.

Rethabile has been involved in graduate recruitment at HNM since 2016 and was appointed Chairperson of the Recruitment Committee in 2022, a role she continues to hold. She trained and qualified as a commercial mediator in 2017 and has since chaired a number of complex facilitations and mediations. She joined the HNM board of directors in November 2019.

Rethabile has over 10 years’ experience in legal practice and continues to advise corporates and governments at senior levels. She has most recently successfully litigated on behalf of the President of South Africa. Rethabile’s recent experience includes:

• Litigating various matters in the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court of Appeal, and High Courts.
• Representing clients in major commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, asset purchases, transfers of business, and share sale transactions.
• Drafting and reviewing various commercial agreements, including shareholders’ agreements; loan agreements; sale of shares; deeds of assignment, employee share scheme arrangements; and memoranda of incorporation.
• Incorporating various non-profit organisations, including non-profit companies and trusts, and registering these entities as public benefit organisations with SARS.
• Representing clients in the Commission of Enquiry into allegations of State Capture.
• General legal advisory services, including advising on company and commercial, intellectual property, protection of personal information, philanthropy, employment, and labour law.
• Conducting forensic investigations into various issues for clients in the private and public sector.
• Assisting with the review and drafting of provincial legislation and regulations.
• Drafting HR policies and contracts of employment.
• Facilitating multi-stakeholder negotiations and mediating complex disputes, including in the medical and health sector as well as in the transport sector with respect to the implementation of a Bus Rapid Transport system in Rustenburg, Polokwane and Ekurhuleni.

Sereeka joined HNM as a Candidate Attorney in 2016. She has a general law practice with an emphasis on litigation, forensic investigations, labour and employment law and commercial law. She also trained and qualified as a commercial mediator in 2022.

Sereeka read for her Bachelor of Arts (economics major) and Law (“BA” and “LLB”) degrees at Wits University where she graduated Cum Laude.

Sereeka gained her experience and exposure in the areas of law in which she specialises under the leadership and mentorship of the Directors of HNM and subsequently joined the Board as a Director in June 2022.

Tshegofatso is a Director at Harris Nupen Molebatsi Incorporated, having joined as a candidate attorney in January 2017. She holds an LLB degree as well as a BA in International Relations and Political Science, and is an admitted attorney of the High Court. Her legal expertise spans labour law, Constitutional and High court litigation, company and commercial law, property law, public law, and competition law. She is also an accredited commercial mediator and has chaired and facilitated various public consultation meetings across the country.

Tshegofatso has contributed to several high-profile cases, including providing legal support to the National Environmental Consultative Advisory Forum appointed by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. She represented the Independent Electoral Commission in investigating complaints related to the 2024 National Elections and litigated various matters in the Electoral and Constitutional Court.

Her experience also includes drafting commercial agreements, representing clients at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, conducting forensic investigations, and advising on human resource policies, estate planning, and municipal by-laws. Additionally, she has been involved in drafting codes of practice and reviewing provincial legislation. Tshegofatso’s diverse background reflects her significant role in both public and private sector legal matters, including disciplinary proceedings and accreditation services for the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.

Mira Briel joined HNM as a Candidate Attorney in 2019 and is now a Senior Associate, leading the firm’s Cape Town office, which primarily focuses on philanthropy law. She holds BA and LLB degrees from the University of Cape Town and was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 2020. She is also a registered tax practitioner and an accredited commercial mediator.

Mira has experience in education law, forensic investigations, commercial law, employment law, public law, philanthropy law, and dispute resolution including mediation and litigation in the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court of Appeal, High Court, and Labour Court. She has advised multinational corporations, government institutions, and non-profits on complex legal matters, including high-value commercial transactions, sensitive forensic investigations, intergovernmental dispute resolution, and the structuring and governance of non-profit organisations.

Mira gained her experience and exposure in the areas of law in which she specialises under the leadership and mentorship of the Directors of HNM.

Lesego joined HNM as a Candidate Attorney in 2022 and was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 2024. Her practice encompasses general corporate advisory, general civil and commercial litigation, public law, philanthropy law, labour law, and alternative dispute resolution.

She brings experience in litigation on matters of public law, administrative law and commercial law. She is also well versed in employment law disputes, multi-party transaction advisory, and forensic investigations. Lesego has contributed to preparing forensic reports, prosecuting disciplinary hearings in the public sector, representing clients in highly contentious mediations, and drafting legal opinions on a wide spectrum of legal issues, including complex commercial transactions for clients in the private and public sector.

Teneille joined HNM as a Candidate Attorney in 2023. She has experience in a general law practice with an emphasis on litigation, forensic investigations, labour and employment law, public law, commercial law and project management.

Teneille read for her Bachelor of Arts (Criminology and English major) and Law (“BA” and “LLB”) degrees at the University of Pretoria (“UP”), where she graduated her LLB Cum Laude and received Dean’s Merit List for two consecutive years during her LLB programme. During her time at UP she also served as the Head of Outreach for UP Women in Law, an organisation which aims to empower and collaborate with women in the legal fraternity.

Thobile holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand, where she majored in International Relations, Psychology, and Law, as well as a Bachelor of Laws. During her time at the University of the Witwatersrand, she became a member of the Golden Key Honour Society and was also the chairperson for the Students for Law and Social Justice. She brings experience in forensic investigations, environmental and labour law advisory, commercial dispute resolution, and civil high court litigation.

Sibusiso who is currently a Candidate Attorney at HNM read for his BSc and LLB degrees at the University of the Witwatersrand where he graduated Cum Laude.

In addition, he is studying for his LLD in competition law also at the University of the Witwatersrand. Before joining HNM, Sibusiso worked as a clerk for Justice Steven Majiedt at the Constitutional Court of South Africa. During this time, he was involved in a number of complex legal cases that had national and international significance, covering topics ranging from public law to commercial matters. Sibusiso is also the co-author a book chapter titled “Tracing Professor Fox in South Africa’s Competition Jurisprudence” with Professor Jonathan Klaaren, which was published in Nicolas Charbit and Sébastien Gachot’s book Eleanor M. Fox Liber Amicorum – Antitrust Ambassador to the World (2021). He has also published his own work titled “A Critical Analysis of the Competition Authorities: Treatment of the Element of Causation in Exclusionary Abuse Cases” in the 2020 edition of the Journal of Corporate and Commercial Law & Practice, volume 6, issue 2.

Jodie is an admitted attorney and joined HNM as a candidate attorney in 2024. She has general law practice with an emphasis on litigation, corporate and commercial law, labour and employment law and dispute resolution.

She holds an LLB and a BA in International Relations and Law from the University of the Witwatersrand, where she excelled academically, earning recognition on the Dean’s List and as a Golden Key Society member.

Jodie has a keen interest in languages, having studied advanced Portuguese and Spanish during her undergraduate degree. She also tutored first-year Spanish students and was recognized as a top student with an award from the Spanish Embassy of South Africa.

Tapuwa Chamboko is a Rhodes University graduate, where she earned both a BA and LLB, twice making the Dean’s List for academic merit. Her LLB research on non-disclosure agreements and their validity under public policy earned her a distinction. In her final year, she served as Chairperson of the renowned Black Lawyers Association (student chapter).

Tapuwa has a keen interest in commercial law and alternative dispute resolution and has over a year of experience as a candidate attorney at HNM, working on matters in various practice areas including company law, contract law, general litigation, compliance, and labour law.

Rethabile is a candidate attorney who joined HNM in 2024. She completed her LLB at UCT where she also served as a tutor for students with disabilities under the commercial transactions law department. She also served as a student practitioner at the UCT Law Clinic. Rethabile has a keen interest in commercial dispute resolution. At HNM, Rethabile has honed her experience in litigation, alternative dispute resolution as well as legal advisory in various practice areas.

Keabetswe is a dedicated and ambitious person with a passion for learning and growing in his field. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and an LL.B., from the University of the Witwatersrand. In 2025, he commenced his legal training with HNM, where he hopes to expand his knowledge and gain invaluable experience from his colleagues and mentors.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Keabetswe is a competitive tennis player. He hopes that his spirit for learning will be amplified during his practical vocational training and looks forward to the journey ahead.