Samantha obtained her LLB degree from the University of Pretoria in 2009 and commenced her legal career at the Competition Commission of South Africa as a Graduate Trainee. She joined Fasken (then Bell Dewar) in 2011, where she completed her articles and went on to practice for nine years.

Samantha initially worked in the Antitrust/Competition and Marketing team before moving to the Litigation, Dispute Resolution and Construction team in 2014, where she discovered her passion for construction law.

Currently a Director at NSDV Law, Samantha has spent the past five and a half years in the firm’s Construction and Dispute Resolution Department. She has extensive experience in both bespoke construction agreements and all major standard-form contracts, including the FIDIC Suite, NEC, JBCC, GCC and the MBSA Domestic Sub-Contract Agreements. 

She has arbitrated under AFSA, the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa) Rules, as well as under the ICC and UNCITRAL Rules.

Samantha’s portfolio includes acting for the main contractors and subcontractors in a wide range of construction-related disputes. Her matters have included adjudications and arbitrations involving luxury game farms, guarantee disputes, defect-related claims, as well as extensive work on disputes arising from major infrastructure projects such as the Medupi and Kusile Power Stations, as well as the Oya Hybrid Power Station. 

She also regularly advises clients on the day-to-day commercial management of construction projects to ensure effective contract administration and to minimise the risk of costly disputes.

While Samantha is a seasoned litigator and construction law specialist, she is equally committed to proactive project support. Her hands-on, practical approach ensures that she remains closely involved in the management of her clients’ contracts, working to resolve issues before they escalate into formal disputes.

Samantha holds an Advanced Certificate in Construction Contract Law and a Certificate in Competition Law from the University of Pretoria. She is a Fellow of the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa) NPC, having completed its Fellowship Admission Course, and serves on its Management Committee. She is available for appointment as an adjudicator or arbitrator

In addition to her legal practice, Samantha is an Alusani® Course Leader and regularly trains construction professionals on the JBCC and GCC contracts. She also lectures on FIDIC contracts through the Enterprises University of Pretoria.

Sam’s experience includes:

• Ongoing representation of a major Eswatini mining company in complex High Court litigation arising from coal supply and corporate governance disputes, including successfully obtaining interim relief to protect the client’s business interests and challenging attempts to unlawfully remove its directors. The matter has national economic significance due to the company’s contribution to Eswatini’s employment and mineral export sectors.

• Advised a leading contractor on the contractual management of the NEC3 contract for the Saldanha Tippler 3 Project, a critical rail-to-port infrastructure initiative for Transnet. The firm has secured over R260 million in adjudication awards related to complex disputes, supporting the expansion of South Africa’s iron ore export capacity.

• Defended a consulting engineer in High Court proceedings involving the recovery of public funds loaned to a minerals processing company, a matter brought by state-owned and public pension funds. The firm also defends a multinational contractor in disputes with a local subcontractor relating to Eskom outage services, supporting efforts to stabilise South Africa’s electricity grid and reduce the impact of load shedding.

• Seconded to a French–South African renewable energy company to assist with the contractual management of a bespoke EPC contract for a 128MW hybrid solar, wind, and battery storage facility in the Western Cape — the first and largest of its kind in South Africa. The project is a key step in the country’s clean energy transition by ensuring reliable, dispatchable renewable power.
• Provided ongoing dispute resolution and commercial support to a prominent South African construction company, including drafting subcontracts, enforcing arbitration awards, and litigating subcontractor claims. The team’s work strengthens the client’s project execution and contractual relationships under JBCC and MBSA standard forms.

Samantha has been recognised for her expertise in Construction Best Lawyers® 2025 – 2026