Capacity: Attorney
Admitted as Attorney: March 2005
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Coloured
Date of Birth: November 1980
Qualifications: LLB (2002) LLM (2003) (University of the Free State)
Key Judgments:
- Moalahi v Road Accident Fund (938/20147) [2021] ZANCHC 32 (23 July 2021)
- Dippenaar v Minister of Correctional Service and Others (569/2015) [2017] ZANCHC 44
- Roman v Roman, and Others (2659/17) 2017 ZANCHC 72
Candidate Biography | August 2026:
Janine Adéle Snyders is an admitted attorney and Director of Engelsman & Magabane Attorneys.
From directing one of the oldest and most prominent law firms in the Northern Cape to protecting consumer rights and presiding as an acting judge, Snyders represents a new generation of versatile, community-minded legal leaders.
Snyders completed her LL.B in 2002 and subsequently an LL.M in 2003 at the University of the Free State. During her university years, she laid a practical foundation for her career by working as an academic assistant and serving as an administrative clerk in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court during her holidays.
Snyders started her legal career as an articled clerk at Jooste, Robertson & Du Toit Attorneys in 2003 and was admitted as an attorney in 2005. In the same year, she joined Engelsman & Magabane Inc. as a director and subsequently became the Chairperson of the Board of Directors. Committed to building a multifaceted practice, she qualified as a notary public in 2008 and a conveyancer in 2015. Snyders has built a robust practice in commercial law, administrative law, labour disputes and deceased estates.
Throughout her career, Snyders has balanced private practice with public and civic leadership. She has served as a Board Member of the Northern Cape Consumer Court since 2015 and was appointed as its Chairperson in 2018, where she has been a vocal advocate for consumer rights. She has also served as President of the Rotary Club of Kimberley (2016-2017) and was an active member of the South African Women Lawyers Association (SAWLA) until 2023.
Snyders served as an Acting Judge of the Northern Cape High Court in 2017 and 2021, amounting to 18 months of acting experience. Her judicial and litigation record reflects a deep commitment to procedural fairness and constitutional values.
As an instructing attorney, Snyders instructed counsel in the landmark Constitutional Court case of Bothma v Els. The case involved a highly sensitive private prosecution for rape brought forty years after the incident occurred. The Constitutional Court was tasked with balancing the accused’s right to a fair trial against the victim’s right to dignity and justice despite the extreme delay, establishing a vital constitutional precedent on the stay of private prosecutions.
On the bench, Snyders has delivered several key judgments. In the sensitive matter of Roman v Roman, she was called upon to resolve a bitter burial dispute between the deceased’s mother and his estranged wife. She upheld the deceased’s expressed wishes concerning his burial, demonstrating careful assessment of conflicting evidence and a balanced application of established legal principles.
In Moalahi v Road Accident Fund, Snyders presided over a personal injury claim involving a plaintiff who sustained a severe neck fracture. Snyders displayed a meticulous command of expert testimony, carefully weighing conflicting opinions from industrial psychologists and orthopaedic surgeons. She held the Road Accident Fund liable for general damages of R450,000, while dismissing a claim for future loss of earnings based on the plaintiff’s retained working capacity.
In Dippenaar v Minister of Correctional Services, sitting with Lever AJ, Snyders had to deal with an administrative review under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA). She set aside an unlawful prison transfer, finding that the authorities had failed to afford the prisoner a proper hearing and had ignored relevant personal circumstances, demonstrating her commitment to procedural fairness and the accountable exercise of public power.
Snyders has inspired younger generations of women and has embraced a mentoring role, which demonstrates her commitment to supporting and developing future women leaders in the legal profession.
Snyders’ upcoming interview offers the JSC a prime opportunity to evaluate her extensive commercial, administrative and consumer law expertise. As a highly accomplished local attorney with deep-seated community roots and multiple terms of acting experience under her belt, it will be interesting to see what the JSC throws her way when she comes before them for the first time in five years.
April 2021 JSC Interview:
After deliberations, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) decided not to recommend Ms. Snyders for a position on the Northern Cape High Court. Ms. Snyders’ interview was unsuccessful. She was not nominated for appointment.