The Annual Rabinowitz Visitorship

Mr Benjamin “Bennie” Rabinowitz, Cape Town-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, spent his life committed to the cause of social justice in South Africa. He used his success to promote constructive engagement on social justice issues through the endowment of an annual Rabinowitz Visitorship at the UCT Faculty of Law in 2009 in support of the Law 150 campaign. The Visitorship was established with a focus on law, democracy, equality and social justice - and the aim of bringing leading lawyers and academics to participate in the intellectual life of the Faculty over three or four days, including giving the Annual Rabinowitz Public Lecture.

Mr Benjamin “Bennie” Rabinowitz, Cape Town-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, sadly passed away in 2023 - but his legacy will certainly continue to live on in the Faculty through this great initiative.

The Faculty has hosted more than a decade of Visitors, including:

2024: Professor Tarun Khaitan

2023: no visitorship

2022: no visitorship

2021: Judge Jody Kollapen

2020: Lecture cancelled due to covid conditions

2019: Justice Edwin Cameron

2018: Justice Mohamed Navsa

2017: Justice Sotomayor

2016: Professor Blake Morant

2014: Professor David Kennedy

2013: Associate Prof Clive Thompson 

2012: Professors John and Jean Comaroff

2011: Lord Lennie Hoffman

2010: Sir Jeffrey Jowell QC

Mr Benjamin Philip Rabinowitz - brief bio

While not a graduate of UCT Law, Bennie Rabinowitz was a long-time friend to and supporter of the Faculty and of our work. Bennie studied Law at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and practiced as an attorney in Cape Town, subsequently becoming involved in several listed property and other companies. Having semi-retired in 2005, Mr Rabinowitz continued to play a key role in a number of organisations, including serving as Chairman of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra. He loved all music in any form and supported many cultural, educational and other charitable institutions. 

Bennie also served as a Trustee for the Cape Philharmonic Endowment Trust, the Ben & Shirley Rabinowitz Cricket Trust (in association with the WP Cricket Trust), the Mopo Educational Trust, the Cecil Rabinowitz Trust (at Cape Town High School) and the Len van Zyl Conductors’ Competition Trust from 2009.

A man of legacies, Bennie was also involved in a range of local community issues and actively led successful campaigns to stop any proposed Oudekraal and Sea Point Promenade developments - ensuring that Capetonians and visitors alike could continue to enjoy the splendour of these two public spaces.