Meet the team behind MLV.

Daantjie is very involved in the local community. He served his term as President of the Gordon’s Bay Rotary, Chairman of Hendrik Louw Governing Body and Vice-Chairman of the Governing Body of Strand High School. He was previously the Chairman of Strand Ratepayers Association and Helderberg Chamber of Commerce and serves on various trusts, as well as the Board of Directors of Strand Naastediens.

The paddling bug bit him about 20 years ago. He achieved Provincial and National colours for paddling and he holds various SA titles in paddling and lifesaving in the Masters category. He finished fourth in the surfski world championships in Portugal in 2022 in his age category. He is also a qualified motorboat and yacht skipper, scuba diver and lifesaver.

His claim to fame is that he surfed the Big Wave in Hawaii.

Ruan is extremely passionate about labour law, commercial law, tax law and finance, with experience in appearing in the CCMA, Criminal and Commercial Crimes Court. Ruan extended his passion for finance and tax by completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning at the University of Stellenbosch Business School in 2014. Ruan continued to pursue his academic interests and enrolled as a Part-time MBA student at the University of Stellenbosch Business School in 2016 where he proceeded to complete his thesis on the topic of “The development of data protection and the business impact of the Protection of Personal Information Act on South African companies” and obtained his MBA degree in 2018.

Ruan has experience in Magistrate’s Court litigation and matters relating to defamation and harassment. He currently heads up the employment law department at Malan Lourens Viljoen, where he conducts CCMA appearances, chairs internal disciplinary hearings, grievance procedures and retrenchment consultations. Ruan also has vast knowledge of the Consumer Protection Act, the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act, the National Credit Act, the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act and the Protection of Personal Information Act.

Ruan is a sports fanatic and big supporter of the Proteas, Liverpool and the Stormers. You will always find him at Newlands Cricket Stadium during the summer months and he continues to follow his favourite sports teams around the globe. Ruan also enjoys hobbies such as playing golf, hiking and reading sports autobiographies.

Thys started his career as a prosecutor in 1983 and was admitted as an attorney on 15 January 1986.

He also has experience as a properly qualified arbitrator.

He is currently offering his expertise as a consultant for Malan Lourens Viljoen on a ad-hoc basis.

Ruth is known for her determination, strong work ethic and solutions driven approach, providing clients with professional, practical and personalised legal guidance. She takes pride in her attention to detail, problem solving ability and commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for her clients.

Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with her family, camping and exploring new places.

James joined Malan Lourens Viljoen Inc in 2026 and forms part of the litigation division. He specialises, amongst others, in harassment and protection orders, evictions, civil and commercial litigation, debt collection, personal injury and third-party claims.

Outside of the office, James has been an active member of the local theatre community, having performed at the Playhouse Theatre and won CATA awards for Best Actor in a Musical for his role as Lord Farquaad in Shrek, and Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role as Sonny in Grease. He is also an avid MotoGP fan and a passionate animal activist.

Enya completed her BCom Law degree at Eduvos in 2022, followed by her LLB degree at STADIO in 2026. Alongside her studies, she gained two and a half years of valuable experience at a law firm in Hermanus, where she worked as a Legal Secretary. This experience gave her insight into the practical side of the legal profession and strengthened her passion for pursuing a career in law.

Outside of the office, Enya enjoys spending time with her family and friends, getting lost in a good book, and spoiling her two beloved Miniature Schnauzers, who are very much a part of the family.

She approaches each matter with diligence, empathy and a practical mindset, and hopes to further develop her experience in family law by becoming a qualified mediator.

Outside of the office, Danél enjoys reading, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, good coffee and spending time with the people closest to her. She believes that maintaining a life outside of law is just as important as working hard within it.

Throughout her career, she has developed a strong knowledge of complex fiduciary matters and remain committed to providing professional, accurate, and personal service.