Labour Court judge dies after being bitten by black mamba

This article was first published by News24

Judge Anton Steenkamp, 57, was doing what he loved, touring Africa with his wife, Catherine, when he was bitten by a black mamba on Monday, the family said.

He died soon afterwards.

His close friends have described him as a man of integrity, one who was kind and generous to people he came across.

He said while Steenkamp was kind, generous, loyal and committed to bettering more than just society, he also had an exceptional brain, and was one of the finest on the Bench.

“He was a progressive person, truly committed to a non-racial society. I’m totally devastated. We used to chat almost every day on the phone,” he said.

Although Steenkamp was based in Cape Town, he would not miss meeting Leonard when he was on duty at the Johannesburg Labour Court.

“He and his wife Catherine were doing what he loved so much — touring through his beloved Africa,” he said.

Steenkamp’s friend, well-known journalist and author Anneliese Burgess, said she was “bewildered” by the news of his death.

“We are absolutely devastated. None of us can begin to comprehend what has happened. He was such a brilliant man, and such a mensch,” Burgess said.

Burgess recalled that the last time she saw Steenkamp was at her book launch in Cape Town in 2018. She was “so touched” that he had made an effort to be at the launch.

“‘Stenie’, as he was known to all of us old Stellenbosch lefties, was simply one of the best people I knew, and I am completely devastated at the news of his passing,” she said.

“When we closed our doors he went back into the legal profession and he became one of the youngest judges ever. When I think of him, if someone asks ‘what does integrity mean?’, I say go and look at Anton Steenkamp,” he said.