Founding Director

In January 1985, Delia joined the Justice Department in Verulam KZN ,and started off working as a public prosecutor in the traffic court. She was then moved to other courts, where she prosecuted in cases such as theft, housebreaking, robbery, fraud, negligent driving, drunken driving and assault. In 1987, Delia was transferred to Durban magistrate’s court, where she initially worked in the vice court, prosecuting mainly in cases involving drug related offences, being entrusted early in her career with a number of high profile cases. By 1988, she was promoted to the position of Regional court prosecutor where she prosecuted in much more serious cases such as rape, armed robbery, attempted murder and murder. While still a prosecutor, she was admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa.

During 1992, she applied for a position as a magistrate. The application was successful, and in August of 1992 Delia was promoted to the position of District court Magistrate where she presided in matters such as theft, housebreaking, reckless driving, culpable homicide and fraud. For a short while, she presided in the North-Eastern Divorce court, and briefly in civil court. During 1996, Delia attempted the ‘regional test’ so as to qualify as a Regional Magistrate. The process consisted of one month of theory In Pretoria and a six month practical in Durban. Delia passed the Regional test, with flying colours (being the top candidate of 1996), and was soon promoted to the rank of Regional Magistrate.

From 1996-2016, Delia served as a Regional Magistrate in Durban for 20 years. She presided in very serious cases such as complex fraud matters, cases involving multiple counts of robbery and firearm related offences, including vehicle hijacking, rape, attempted murder and murder. For seven of the 20 years, she presided in a specialized Sexual Offences court, where most of the cases she dealt with were of a highly sensitive nature, involving children. She soon developed a reputation of being a fearless and no-nonsense Presiding Officer, yet at the same time, remained fair and compassionate. She further handed down some of the heaviest sentences to perpetrators of violent crimes and to those convicted of crimes committed against children.

In 2007, Delia joined the CMJA (Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association), and that same year attended the CMJA conference on gender equality in Bermuda. She found the experience to be highly informative and a huge eye-opener. In Bermuda, she started to form relationships with international colleagues which includes judges and magistrates in England, Ireland, Australia, Canada and other countries. Over the years, these relationships have strengthened and she is still currently in touch with many of them. In 2009, she attended another CMJA conference on vulnerable witnesses in the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean, where she delivered a paper on child witnesses. In 2010, she attended her third CMJA conference in Cape Town. Delia remains a keen supporter of the CMJA, and hopes to attend more of their international conferences in future years.

Due to her relationships formed with international colleagues, Delia was invited by the Commonwealth Secretariat of London (UK), to assist in the training of magistrates in the area of child witnesses in both Swaziland and the Cameroon on a number of occasions. She gladly accepted the opportunity which she found to be a privilege. Furthermore she found it to be an absolute pleasure to be able to serve and help others in this area which she is so passionate about. On a personal note, Delia found the experience to be both rewarding and mentally stimulating. She will always remain grateful to those who invited her to assist at the training seminars. Swaziland, remains one of her favourite places to visit.

Finally, after a career spanning more than three decades, she resigned from the Justice Department in June 2016, Delia then relocated to Perth, Australia for approximately two years, where she took time out, travelling to Brisbane, Sydney, Indonesia and the Islands of the South Pacific. She thereafter studied Australian family law, and did volunteer work for a number of local Legal Aid Clinics in Perth. In July 2018, Delia returned to South Africa, settling in Palm Lakes, Tinley Manor. In September 2018, Delia founded LEGAL EASE. Currently, her work consists mainly of giving legal advice and mediation.