Appointment of Adv Jacques du Preez as CEO of FW de Klerk Foundation
1 September 2020
The Board of Trustees of the FW de Klerk Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Adv Jacques du Preez as the Foundation’s new Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 September 2020. Adv Du Preez succeeds Dr Dayne Morkel - who left the Foundation in March to take up career opportunities in the United States.
Adv Du Preez (39) was educated at Centurion High School and holds an LLB degree from the University of Pretoria and a Master’s Degree (LLM) in Public Law from the University of Stellenbosch. He practised as an advocate and member of the Cape Bar from June 2007 until May 2011 - when he joined the Foundation’s Centre for Constitutional Rights as Operational Officer. During the following three years he made a valuable contribution to the CFCR’s activities - particularly in the areas of human rights monitoring, reporting and advocacy and in preparing submissions to Parliament and human rights bodies on draft legislation and human rights violations.
He resumed his practice as advocate of the High Court between June 2014 and May 2018 - after which he took up an appointment in Switzerland as Legal Training Director at International Bridges to Justice - an international NGO based in Geneva. In this capacity, he directed and facilitated international criminal justice, rule of law, trial advocacy and human rights skills training initiatives and workshops, working with various justice sector stakeholders in a number of countries - including Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Syria.
The Board is delighted that Adv Du Preez - enriched with valuable experience at the Cape Bar and in international human rights advocacy - has returned to the Foundation as its new CEO. He is well acquainted with the Foundation’s activities and looks forward to leading and continuing its work in upholding the Constitution; in promoting unity in diversity, and in preserving the legacy of South Africa’s historic transition to constitutional democracy.
Adv Du Preez is married to Barbara. They have two children, Kayleigh and Luc.
Issued by Dave Steward, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the FW de Klerk Foundation, 1 September 2020
