Judge Cecil Margo, who presided over two high-profile plane crash inquiries, died on Sunday at his home in Johannesburg after a long illness. He was 85.
Margo headed the investigation into the October 1986 plane crash in which Mozambican president Samora Machel died.
He also headed the inquiry into the Helderberg plane crash in which a Boeing 747 crashed into the sea off Mauritius, killing 159 people, in 1987.
Born on July 15 1915 in Johannesburg, Cecil Stanley Margo was educated at King Edward VII school in Johannesburg and received a BA LLB degree at the University of the Witwatersrand.
He was called to the Johannesburg Bar in 1937, where he began an esteemed career as an advocate. His legal career was interrupted by the outbreak of World War 2. He distinguished himself in the South African Air Force (SAAF) and, on secondment, in the Royal Air Force in the Middle East, North Africa and the European theatre.
His operational experience included three tours of duty, 151 missions and command of the famous 24 Bomber Squadron of the SAAF.
His exemplary courage and leadership were recognised with the award of the Distinguished Service Order and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
After the war he resumed his highly successful practice at the Johannesburg Bar. In 1959 he took silk, being appointed a Queen's Counsel, and in 1971 he was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court.
Margo was widely recognised as a world expert in the field of aviation and air accident investigation and in 1977 was appointed chairman of the eight-member Commission on Civil Aviation in South Africa.
In 1987 he headed the Commission of Inquiry on the Tax Structure of South Africa, known as the Margo Commission, and laid the foundation for tax reform in this country.
He is survived by his wife Marjorie and his sons Andrew, Rod and Matthew.
Margo's funeral will take place at 11.30am on Tuesday at Westpark Jewish Cemetery. - Own correspondent