Zola Yaka is an Associate in the Disputes and Insolvency & Business Rescue practice areas. She is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa, having been admitted in 2022.

She holds an LLB and an LLM in commercial law from the University of Cape Town.

Zola has experience in banking and finance litigation, with exposure to asset recovery, foreclosures, liquidations, and related commercial disputes. She has acted for clients in both defended and undefended matters, providing strategic litigation support and legal advisory services.

She has also completed the Advanced Trial Advocacy Training Program through the Black Lawyers Association – Legal Education Centre.

Years of Experience:  3 years

Zamokuhle Ifeadi is an Associate in the Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions practice bringing specialised expertise in mergers and acquisitions, company law, and a broad range of commercial matters.

Zamokuhle has experience in drafting and negotiating a wide array of commercial agreements, including shareholders’ agreements, sale of shares, subscriptions, leases, supply and distribution agreements, settlement agreements, and business sale agreements. Furthermore, she provides compliance advice under the Companies Act, assists with company registrations with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, and offers general corporate advisory services.

Beyond Corporate and Commercial Law, she is well-versed in Insolvency Law and related matters.

Odwa Dokomfana is an Associate in the Commercial Department at Werksmans, specialing in Banking & Finance, Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions and Business Rescue & Insolvency. He advises on various commercial transactions, including solvent corporate debt restructuring, restructuring of financially constrained and/or distressed companies, corporate due diligence investigations, debt capital markets (with experience in securitisation schemes of both listed and unlisted securities), structured finance, acquisition finance, development finance and syndicated financing structures. Odwa also has experience in financial services and trusts work.

Salome is an Associate in the Construction and Engineering practice area.

Years of Experience: 5 Years (inclusive of articles).

Karabo Kekana is a Senior Associate in the Disputes and the Insolvency & Business Rescue practice areas. He advises in commercial litigation and insolvency-related matters including general commercial and contractual disputes, liquidations and corporate debt recovery.

Brandon Starr is a Senior Associate and advises in the Insolvency & Business Rescue and Dispute Resolution practice areas. After graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Cape Town, he joined Werksmans as a candidate attorney. He has represented debtor companies and creditors in business rescue proceedings and has broad experience in commercial litigation including general commercial disputes, liquidations and corporate debt recovery. Brandon also has experience in banking & finance, acting for lenders and borrowers alike in bilateral and syndicated lending transactions, as well as preference share funding transactions.

Leelan Moodliar is a Senior Associate in the Disputes and Insolvency & Business Rescue practice areas. He advises in insolvency related matters including: liquidation and sequestration proceedings, insolvency enquiries, debtor and insolvency recovery actions and applications.

Kerisha Reddy is a Director in the Insolvency, Business Rescue and Restructuring practice area. Kerisha has experience in commercial litigation which includes High Court applications, trial work, arbitrations and insolvency law, with a particular focus on insolvency inquiries in terms of section 417 read with section 418 of the Companies Act, 61 of 1973. Kerisha has been involved in urgent applications, review applications, arbitrations and inquiries. She has acted for various listed, unlisted and international clients in a variety of industries including retail, manufacturing, construction, technology and property.

Amy Mackechnie is a Senior Associate in the Insolvency and Business Rescue practice area. She holds a BCom Law degree and an LLB degree from the University of Johannesburg. Amy further enhanced her qualifications by completing the Certified Rescue Analyst course at the University of Pretoria. Amy has significant experience in commercial litigation and corporate law, with a particular focus on business rescue, restructuring, and insolvency. Her expertise includes drafting complex commercial agreements, negotiating with creditors, and overseeing business rescue proceedings. She has acted for a variety of clients, navigating intricate legal challenges to achieve successful outcomes. Amy is admitted as an Attorney and Notary Public of the High Court of South Africa.

Years of Experience: 6 years

Director Zania Oosthuizen advises in the Disputes, and Insolvency & Business Rescue practice areas. Her area of specialisation is insolvency law, and she advises in general commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Zania holds a BCom Law (cum laude) and an LLB (cum laude) from the University of Pretoria. Her career highlights include receiving the Vice Chancellor’s Award for excellent academic achievements at pre-graduate level: Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences (2010); and the Schilz Prize for the Best Third Year LLB student with the highest average in the prescribed third year LLB modules (2011).