About Us

Become a member

Member Benefits

About The ELA

The Environmental Law Association of South Africa (ELA) is a non-profit organisation aiming to promote and assist in the development and application of environmental law and governance in South Africa. Members of the ELA include legal practitioners, environmental management consultants, government officials, academics, students and environmental activists. Anyone with an interest in understanding the dynamics between law, governance and the state of the environment is welcome to join our organisation. The ELA is a forum for sharing and gaining knowledge and information and for meeting like-minded colleagues. It hosts different kinds of networking events such as national and regional conferences and regular online discussions. It also has activities dedicated towards students. One of the main benefits of being an ELA member is its weekly Newsletter on recent developments in the field. The operations of the ELA are managed by a Secretariat (hosted at the Faculty of Law, North-West University) and an Executive Committee. Each province in South Africa has one or more representatives serving on the Executive Committee.

Vision Of The Executive

Environmental issues are appearing with ever increasing frequency at the forefront of global discourse as countries redirect their developmental agendas towards a greener economy in order to sustain the earth’s ecology. South Africa is no exception. As the body of environmental laws continues to expand, the regulatory system regarding the environment is becoming increasingly complex and pervasive, with the resultant demand for practitioners and academics with expertise in this area of law. Against this backdrop, the Environmental Law Association of South Africa is committed to pursuing the development, teaching, application and practice of environmental law in order to promote respect for environmental law and governance in South Africa, thereby contextualising the importance of the right to an environment enshrined in the Constitution. The ELA seeks to establish itself as an effective forum for networking and the sharing of information and knowledge in the field of environmental law. Mainstreaming discourse on environmental matters among professionals in various fields plays a crucial role in achieving the constitutional imperative to include environmental rights as fundamental, justiciable human rights.

ELA Executive Committee

Melanie Murcott

Melanie Murcott

Chair

Melanie Murcott is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Law, University of Cape Town…

Read More

Nicola Irving

Nicola Irving

Vice-chair

Nicola Irving is an Associate in the Social Impact Department at Norton Rose Fulbright. 

Read More

Mikaella Bodeux

Mikaella Bodeux

National Secretary

Mikaella Bodeux is an attorney admitted to the High Court of South Africa and practising in Johannesburg.

Read More

Nonhlanhla Ngcobo

Nonhlanhla Ngcobo

Treasurer

Nonhlanhla Ngcobo (BA Law, LLB, LLM cum laude) is a Doctor of Philosophy in Laws with Law and Development (PhD) candidate and researcher for the South African Research Chair in Cities, Law and Environmental Sustainability (CLES).

Read More

Samantha de Villiers

Samantha de Villiers

KZN Representative

Samantha is a practicing environmental attorney and Partner at Ndlovu de Villiers Attorneys (Environmental Law Specialists).  

Read More

Patrick Forbes

Patrick Forbes

KZN Representative

Patrick graduated from Rhodes University with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2004 …

Read More

Tanya Wagenaar

Tanya Wagenaar

Eastern Cape Representative

Tanya is a full-time lecturer in the Faculty of Law at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth where she lectures…

Read More

Ntando Ncamane

Ntando Ncamane

Eastern Cape Representative

Ntando Ncamane is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Law at Rhodes University. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, and a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from the University of Fort Hare (UFH). 
Read More

Meeschka Diedericks

Meeschka Diedericks

North-West Representative

Meeschka is a PhD Researcher at the SARChI in Cities, Law and Environmental Sustainability, the North-West University.

Read More

Germarié Viljoen

Germarié Viljoen

North-West Representative

Associate Professor Germarié Viljoen (LLB, LLM, LLD) has previously consulted as environmental legal specialist. In 2014, Germarié joined…

Read More

Ademola Oluborode Jegede

Ademola Oluborode Jegede

Limpopo Representative

Ademola Oluborode Jegede is a Professor of Law in the Department …

Read More

Kirstin Meiring

Kirstin Meiring

Western Cape Representative

Kirstin holds a LLB and LLM in Environmental Law from the University of Cape Town which she obtained in 2018 and 2020, respectively. 

Read More

Jenny Hall

Jenny Hall

Gauteng Representative

Jenny is an Associate Professor in international environmental law and legal skills at the University of Johannesburg.

Read More

Dr Clive Vinti

Dr Clive Vinti

Gauteng Representative

Dr Clive Vinti is an evangelist at Heal the Wounds Christian Centre; Lecturer for Law at the University of the Free State…

Read More

Dr John Rantlo

Dr John Rantlo

Gauteng Representative

John Rantlo (LLB, LLM, LLD) is a lecturer at the University of Pretoria, and Director of the Extractive Industries Law in Africa Unit at the University of Pretoria.

Read More

Dr Lindani Mhlanga

Dr Lindani Mhlanga

Free State Representative

Dr. Lindani Mhlanga, BA, LL.B, LL.M (University of Pretoria), LL.D (University of the Free State), is an emerging scholar specializing in constitutional law, property law, land law, and environmental law.

Read More

Margot Slabbert

Margot Slabbert

Newsletter

Margot holds a LL.M in International Human Rights Law; a Postgraduate Diploma in Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies; and a LL.M in Environmental Law.

Read More

Melandri Steenkamp

Melandri Steenkamp

Newsletter

Melandri Steenkamp recently graduated with her LLD under the auspices of the South African Research Chair in Cities, Law and Environmental Sustainability (CLES).

Read More

Allyson Petersen

Allyson Petersen

Marketing

Allyson Petersen is a Lecturer at UNISA. She holds an LLB and an LLM (Environmental Law).

Sub-Committees & Collaborators

Viandrie Robertson

Viandrie Robertson

Student Sub-Committee

Viandrie Robertson is an LLM researcher with the South African Research Chair: Cities, Law and Environmental Sustainability at the North West University, Potchefstroom.

Read More

Susanna Coleman

Susanna Coleman

Western Cape Sub-Committee

Susanna Coleman has been a volunteer on the PHA Food & Farming Campaign, a voluntary association formed to defend the ecological integrity of the PHA farmlands on the Cape Flats, for a decade.

Read More

Sipho Mophatlane

Sipho Mophatlane

Free State Sub-Committee

Sipho Mophatlane is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and has a strong interest in research and environmental law.

Read More