Personal bio
Reenen began his legal career as a law lecturer at the University of Johannesburg (formerly Rand Afrikaans University) before being called to the Johannesburg Bar in 1985. Commencing practice on 1 July 1985, he quickly developed a substantial commercial law practice and had the privilege of working alongside many eminent silks. He was elevated to Senior Counsel in 1998.
In 1999, Reenen was appointed as an Acting Judge in the High Court, Gauteng Local Division (then the Witwaters-rand Local Division). During this tenure, he delivered a reported judgment on a novel point concerning the duties of an insurance broker to an insured: Lenaerts v JSN Motors (Pty) Ltd 2001 (4) SA 1100 (W), later approved by the Supreme Court of Appeal in Lappeman Diamond Cutting Works (Pty) Ltd v MIB Group (Pty) Ltd and Another 2004 (2) SA 1 (SCA), and subsequently followed by the full bench in Mutual and Federal Insurance Co Ltd v Ingram and Others 2009 (6) SA 53 (E).
Throughout his career, Reenen has appeared regularly in both courts of first instance and appellate courts, covering a wide range of disputes including general commercial litigation, company law, stock exchange matters, international trade, construction and building disputes, insolvency, liquidation and business rescue, insurance, and delictual claims. He has also served as adjudicator in numerous adjudications and as arbitrator in multiple arbitrations. Many of the cases in which he has appeared or presided have been reported in the South African Law Reports, a selection of which is detailed below:
1. Compagnie Interafricaine De Travaux v South African Transport Services and Others 1991 (4) SA 217 (A) (Also at Compagnie Interafricaine De Travaux v South African Transport Services and Others [1991] 2 All SA 15))
2. Bank Of Credit And Commerce Int. Swd Ltd v Tonkwane Estates Ltd And Another (cons) (8 of 1990) [1991] SZSC 1(eswatinilii.org)
3. Cullinan Holdings Ltd v Mamelodi Stadsraad 1992 (1) SA 645 (T) (Also at Cullinan Holdings Ltd v Mamelodi Stadsraad [1992] 3 All SA 283 (T))
4. Hosken Employee Benefits (Pty) Ltd v Slabe 1992 (4) SA 183 (W) (Also at Hosken Employee Benefits (Pty) Ltd v Slabe [1992] 3 All SA 919 (W))
5. Hewan v Kourie NO and Another 1993 (3) SA 233 (T) (Also at Hewan v Kourie NO and Another [1993] 4 All SA 227 (T))
6. Wholesale Provision Supplies CC v Exim International CC and Another 1995 SA 150 (T) (Also at Wholesale Provision Supplies CC v Exim International CC and Another [1995] 3 All SA 7 (T))
7. Bombay Properties (Pty) Ltd v Ferrox Construction 1996 (2) SA 853 (W)
8. Titaco Projects (Pty) Ltd v AA Alloy Foundry (Pty) Ltd 1996 (3) SA 320 (W)
9. South African Co-Operative Citrus Exchange Ltd v Director-General Trade And Industry and Another 1997 (3) SA 236 (SCA)
10. Logistic Technologies (Pty) Ltd v Coetzee and Others 1998 (3) SA 1071 (W)
11. Klopper en Andere NNO v Engelbrecht en Andere NNO 1998 (4) SA 788 (W)
12. Novatech Adhesives Ltd and others v Doherty and others [1998] JOL 4297 (C)
13. AA Alloy Foundry (Pty) Ltd v Titaco Projects (Pty) Ltd 2000 (1) SA 639 (SCA)
14. Premier, Free State and Others v Firechem Free State (Pty) Ltd [2000] (4) SA 413 (SCA)
15. Steinberg v South Peninsula Municipality 2001 (4) SA 1243 (SCA)
16. S v Lubaxa 2001 (4) SA 1251 (SCA)
17. Lenaerts v JSN Motors (Pty) Ltd 2001(4) SA 1100 (W)
18. Carrim v Omar 2001 (4) SA 691 (W)
19. S v Bigione 2002 (1) SACR 60 (Nm)
20. M A Vleisagentskap CC and Another v Shaw NO 2003 (6) SA 714 (C)
21. Trustees, Brian Lackey Trust v Annandale 2004 (3) SA 281 (C)
22. Siyanda Resources (Pty) Ltd & another v Moloto NO & another; Mashile-Nkosi & others v Moloto NO & others [2010] JOL 25232 (GSJ)
23. Keevy v Born Free Investments 364 (Pty) Ltd [2010] ZAGPPHC 212
24. Thornton v Accelerated Christian Education SA [2012] ZAKZDHC 59
25. MAN Financial Services (SA) (Pty) Ltd v Blouwater Boerdery CC and Another – Case Nr. 4949/2012
26. Greenberg v Khumalo and another; Greenberg v Du Preez and another [2012] JOL 29170 (GSJ)
27. SS v Presiding Officer of the Children’s Court, District of Krugersdorp and others (Children’s Institute as amicus curiae) [2012] JOL 29302 (GSJ)
28. Telestream Communications (Pty) Ltd v Halo Mobile (Pty) Ltd 2013 JDR 1647 (GSJ)
29. MAN Financial Services (SA) (Pty) Ltd v Blouwater Boerdery CC and Another [2013] ZAFSHC 18
30. Old Mutual Life Assurance Co (SA) Ltd v Simtrade 4 CC t/a OBC Chicken and Others 2013 (6) SA 571 (GSJ)
31. All Alloys (Pty) Ltd v Du Preez [2013] JDR 1648 (GSJ)
32. Born Free Investments 364 (Pty) Ltd v Firstrand Bank Ltd [2014] 2 All SA 127 (SCA)
33. KNS Construction (Pty) Ltd / Mutual & Federal Insurance Company Ltd [2015] JOL 32725 (GJ)
34. Oosthuizen, Kennith Martin v Metsep SA (Pty) Ltd and Three Others [2016] ZAGPJHC 115
35. ABSA Bank Limited v Lekuku [2015] JOL 32424 (GJ)
36. Novartis SA (Pty) Ltd v Maphil Trading (Pty) Ltd 2016 (1) SA 518 (SCA)
37. Educated Risk Investments 165 (Pty) Ltd and Others v Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and Others 2016 (6) SA 434 (SCA)
38. KNS Construction (Pty) Ltd v The Genesis Partnership 2016 JDR 1894 (GJ)
39. Mutual & Federal Insurance Company Limited v KNS Construction (Pty) Ltd 2016 JDR 1489 (SCA)
40. Dykes van Heerden Incorporated and another v Bekker NO and others [2017] JOL 37189 (GSJ)
41. Omega Risk Solutions (Pty) Ltd v De Witt 2017 JDR 1932 (SCA)
42. MTO Forestry (Pty) Ltd v Swart NO 2017 (5) SA 76 (SCA)
43. Ellerine Brothers (Pty) Ltd / Vestacor (Pty) Ltd 2019 JDR 0648 (GJ)
44. Pro-Khaya Constructions CC v Strata Civils and others [2020] 1 All SA 267 (ECG)
45. Naidoo v Michau NO and others and a related matter [2020] JOL 46591 (KZP)
46. Kgoro Consortium (Pty) Ltd v Cedar Park Properties 39 (Pty) Ltd 2020 JDR 1592 (GJ)
47. Graham v Master of the High Court (HC-MD-CIV-MOTREV-2020/00415) [2020] NAHCMD 547
48. Tayob v Shiva Uranium (Pty) Ltd 2020 JDR 2672 (SCA)
49. Kgoro Consortium (Pty) Ltd and Another v Cedar Park Properties 39 (Pty) Ltd and Others [2020] ZAGPJHC 178
50. Howard NO. and Another v Graham and Others 2021 JDR 2904 (Nm)
51. AMR Mining (Pty) Ltd v Glencore International Ag 2021 JDR 2573 (GJ)
52. Bravura Solutions (Pty) Ltd v A1 Capital (Pty) Ltd 2021 JDR 1768 (GJ)
53. Hudaco Trading (Pty) Ltd v Apex Superior Quality Parts (Pty) Ltd 2021 JDR 0707 (GJ)
54. Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa v Energy Fabrication (Pty) Ltd and others [2021] JOL 51774 (GJ)
55. Alert Steel (Pty) Ltd (in liquidation) v Mercantile Bank Limited 2022 JDR 1743 (SCA)
56. Kgoro Consortium (Pty) Ltd and Another v Cedar Park Properties 39 (Pty) Ltd and Others [2022] JDR 1108 (SCA)
57. Winckler v Standard Bank Namibia Limited (HC-MD-CIV-ACT-CON-2018/03324) [2022] NHCMD 408
58. I-Cat International Consulting & Trading (Pty) Limited Trading v Purpleglaze 3 (Pty) Limited Trading and another 2023 JDR 1671 (NCK)
59. Beryl Coal (Pty) Ltd and Another v Muller N.O and Others (058266/2022) [2023] ZAGPPHC 547
60. Spence v Wu (8184/2018) [2023] ZAGPPHC 676
61. Idizili Yeglug CC (in liquidation) and Others v BP Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd (Case Number: 2023-088267)
62. I-Cat International Consulting & Trading (Pty) Ltd v Purpleglaze 3 (Pty) Ltd Trading and another [2023] JDR 1671 (NCK)
63. SG Coal (Pty) Ltd v Beryl Coal (Pty) Ltd [2023] ZAGPJHC 1023 (11 September 2023)
64. Scania Finance Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd v Lekgawutsane Close Corporation 2024 JDR 3522 (MM)
65. Fore St Holding (Pty) Ltd and Another v Meyer NO and Others 2025 JDR 0566 (GJ)
66. Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Inc and Another v Centura Real Estate (Pty) Ltd 2025 JDR 1117 (GJ)
67. K2012020306 (Pty) Ltd and Another v De Wet NO and Others [2025] JDR 1298 (GJ)
68. Phakisa Holdings (Pty) Ltd / JVA Networks (Pty) Ltd [2026] ZAGPPHC 310