Paul Hoffman
Paul Hoffman SC, a native of Johannesburg and a Wits graduate, practised law at the side bar from 1975 to 1980 and at the Cape Bar from 1980 to 2006. He took silk in 1995 and acted on the Cape Bench at the invitation of three successive judges president. After retiring from the Bar, he was founding director of the Centre for Constitutional Rights and co-founder, in 2009, of Accountability Now, both NGOs that promote constitutionalism. He is best known for his work on the irregularities in the arms deals, on the unconstitutionality of the Hawks and on the bread cartel case in which a general class action was developed by the courts. Yoga and long dog-walks on the beaches and mountains around his home in Noordhoek help keep him inspired to seek that elusive better life for all. He is the author of many articles and two books, Confronting the Corrupt, and Countering the Corrupt.
Articles By This Author
What does “outside executive control” mean in SA law?
Arising out of feedback received after the Daily Friend published my commentary, The state of the rule of law in SA in 2026, on 14
The state of the rule of law in SA in 2026
One of the most frequent give-aways of the on-going incorrect national mind-set in politics used to be to refer to the then tripartite governing alliance
Who is Andy Mothibi?
The age of Andy Mothibi, newly appointed National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), is difficult to determine via the internet. It is known that he
Anti-corruption reform by sleight of hand won’t do
Colette Ashton, writing on ISS Today and the Daily Maverick on 9 December, International Anti-Corruption Day, suggests that the people of South Africa have been
Why did Cyril choose 17 December for interim Madlanga report?
When he appointed the Madlanga Commission, President Cyril Ramaphosa initially required an interim report from it by 31 October. When delays in starting the work
A response to Martin van Staden, using his own words
Livening my day is the response Martin van Staden has given (Questioning Hoffman’s broadside against SA’s federal Constitution) to my criticism (A little First Aid
Being black doesn’t necessarily mean being “disadvantaged” for redress purposes
A debate concerning the meaning of the Constitution’s equality clause has erupted in the columns of the Daily Friend. Can it possibly be right that
The ultimate crunch issue in inquiries into Mkhwanazi complaints
Now that both the Madlanga Commission and the ad hoc committee of parliament have taken evidence from General Mkhwanazi concerning the complaints he aired at
Public Affairs Research Institute misses mark on countering corruption
There is a crying need in South Africa to come up with a plan that will improve the capacity of the state to deal with
Garnering allies to end corruption with impunity
The lot of a small civil society organisation that espouses unpopular causes is a lonely one. A voice crying in the wilderness against the excesses