John Didcott

John Mowbray Didcott ( born August 14, 1931 in Durban, † 20 October 1998, ibid ) was a South African lawyer and 1994-1998 Judge at the Constitutional Court of the Republic of South Africa.

Education and professional career

His education was Didcott at Hilton College in Hilton. He then went on to study law at the University of Cape Town, where he received a Bachelor of Laws in 1951 was awarded the Bachelor of Arts in 1953. While studying Didcott was from 1951 to 1954 and a member since 1952 Chairman of the Students' Council of the University. He was also a founding member in 1953 of the Liberal Party of South Africa ( LPSA ) and 1953-1954 Vice Chairman of the National Union of South African Students. After graduation, he was admitted on 26 February 1954 by the Bar Association in Johannesburg as a lawyer. Initially he worked as a court reporter for the Cape Argus newspaper, he settled down in 1955 as a lawyer in Durban. There he practiced until 1975. 1960 he had to briefly leave the country because of his activities in the LPSA to avoid arrest. He stayed a few months in Southern Rhodesia, where he worked as a prosecutor. During his time as a lawyer, he took over in February 1971 and April-June 1975, the office of a judge on time at the Natal Provincal Division. On 16 June 1975 he was appointed there to full-time judge. He held until October 12, 1994 This position. During his tenure there he uttered not a death sentence, and sat down, as far as the system of apartheid was possible for the right to a fair trial one. At the same time he was a member of the Special Court for review of the parliamentary elections of 1994. In 1994 he was appointed by Nelson Mandela to the judge at the Constitutional Court of the Republic of South Africa.

Others

Didcott was married to Pam Didcott, with whom he had two daughters. He was also the grandfather of four grandchildren. In addition to his professional activities, he was involved in many volunteer. So he held from August to December 1984 Visiting lectures at Columbia University. He also held the office of Chancellor of the University of Durban - Westville between 1988 and 1993.

Awards

• Honorary Professor at the University of KwaZulu- Natal ( 1989)
• Honorary doctorate from the University of Natal ( 1991)
• Honorary doctorate from the University of Cape Town (1991 )
• Honorary doctorate from the University of Witwatersrand (1992 )