Jaco de Jager

Host & Panelist

Jaco has built a distinguished career in the fields of legal advisory, risk management, forensic auditing, and fraud examination, spanning across various esteemed organisations in the financial and insurance sectors. He commenced his professional journey at ABSA Bank, where he identified potential fraud, provided strategic guidance on debt recovery, and managed financial statistics. He then worked as a Claims Assistant, Internal Auditor/Risk Investigator, and Senior Quality Control Officer at the Road Accident Fund, where he refined his expertise in risk assessment, internal auditing, and quality control. Jaco's career culminated in his role as a Senior Forensic Auditor: Risk Management at Hollard Assurance, where he led investigations into financial irregularities and provided expert insights on legal and compliance matters. His impactful leadership and strategic vision were further demonstrated during his tenure as the inaugural CEO of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners South Africa Chapter (ACFE SA). Under his stewardship, the organisation experienced remarkable growth in membership and service delivery, culminating in the official recognition of ACFE SA as the sole internationally recognised professional body in the forensic industry. He is recognised as a thought leader and frequently speaks on international platforms about forensic auditing, risk management, and fraud examination.

Adv. Ernst Kromhout

Speaker

Adv Kromhout’s career commenced at the Department of Justice. From 1992 to 1994 he was employed as a clerk at the Attorney General and the State Attorney’s offices in Pretoria, and during 1995 and 1996 as a public prosecutor at the Johannesburg Magistrates Court. During this period, he completed his B Juris and LLB degrees through the University of South Africa. After having spent two years in the United Kingdom, Adv Kromhout underwent pupilage in the Johannesburg Society of Advocates, and during July 1999 he became a practising member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates where he has been practicing law ever since. Adv. Kromhout is also a dual member of the Pretoria Society of Advocates. Adv Kromhout holds chambers in Sandton and in Hazelwood, and specialises in public and administrative law, the law of contract, insolvency law, and the law of medical schemes.

Prof.Dawie de Villers

Speaker

• Professor Dawie de Villiers obtained the BA (Law) LLB and LLD degrees from the University of Pretoria. • He joined the department of Justice in 1977, and worked mainly as public prosecutor. • From 1983 until 1995 he was a lecturer at Justice College where he taught Law of Evidence to state advocates, aspirant regional court magistrates, magistrates and prosecutors. • Prof De Villiers has delivered papers at more than 50 various conferences, with the main focus, the Law of Evidence and is also the author and compiler of a number of books, articles and guides for more than forty years. • In 1996 he was appointed as professor of law at the then RAU (now UJ) with Law of Evidence and Criminal Law as teaching obligations. • Prof De Villiers developed and manage a Higher Certificate in Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigations (1997 – 2025) with an enrolment of hundreds of students each year. • He is an honorary member of the Association of Regional Magistrates of SA. • Presented with an honorary life long membership by the ACFE – SA Chapter. • Prof De Villiers received the UJ Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for Teaching and Learning and was the head of the department Procedural Law for more than 20 years. • He is since his retirement in 2022 an Extra-ordinary Associate Professor at the Business School of the North West University.