John Gilbert Kotzé

Who was John Gilbert Kotzé?

Sir John Gilbert Kotzé was an eminent South African jurist.

Born in Cape Town, educated there at Tot Nut van het Algemeen and the South African College. Further legal training and qualifications were obtained in Britain as a student at the ''Hon. Society of the Inner Temple in London, where he met his wife Mary Aurelia Bell, who is 18th in descent from King Edward I. pp. 137

Became barrister of the Inner Temple and practiced in Cape Town and Grahamstown 1874-76. Appointed judge of the High Court of the Transvaal in 1877, becoming Chief Justice in 1881. He, together with the rest of the High Court, was unceremoniously dismissed by Kruger following a dispute - as a result of his judgement in the case over. Referral is made in Jan Smuts in the South African Republic # Brown v. Leyds and in his Book Memoirs and Reminiscences . It is further noted, Sir Kotze in 1893 had stood as a rival to Kruger in the presidential elections and was seen by Kruger as his long term political rival. Kruger, on this particular occasion was enraged at the judgement of the High Court in the case of Brown v.