Biography: Mining

Pieter Colyn obtained his BLC, cum laude, and LLB, from the University of Pretoria. He joined Brink Cohen Le Roux Inc, a Johannesburg law firm at its inception. He was admitted as an attorney in 1994 and was appointed as a director at the beginning of 1998. During this period, he obtained an advanced diploma in Labour Law, cum laude, from the University of Johannesburg (formerly Rand Afrikaans University). Pieter also completed an LLM degree, cum laude, at this university. He obtained the highest mark for any thesis in the Faculty of Law in 2000, with his research topic, which analysed various evidentiary aspects of the concept of unfair discrimination in South African Constitutional, Labour and Employment Equity Law.

Pieter is a litigation attorney and represents clients primarily in the mining, construction, ferrochrome, steel, vanadium and iron making industries.

Pieter has extensive experience in general, corporate and commercial litigation, labour law, environmental law, administrative law, as well as occupational and mine health and safety law. He often appears personally on behalf of employers in these matters and has represented various companies, corporations and top executive and management personnel in criminal matters and inquests, as well as in accident investigations and inquiries, in particular following major occupational and mine accidents and disasters. He has also assisted employers in conducting health and safety audits, as well as in preparing and implementing statutory appointment letters in terms of the applicable health and safety legislation.

He has presented various papers to companies and other corporations, and also presents annual seminars in conjunction with a major publishing house, involving his areas of expertise.