Danie Joubert

As a junior track and field athlete Danie Joubert won medals in the 100 yards, 220 yards, high jump, and long jump in competitions in South Africa. Joubert continued to show great promise in athletics including running the 100 yards in 9.8 seconds while he was at college. In 1929 he represented a combined South African Universities team before captaining the team in a meet against the United States in 1931. The same year he equalled Frank Wykoff’s then world record in the 100 yards, running 9.4 seconds at a meet in Grahamstown. Joubert’s performances earned him a place on the national athletics team, with him captaining them at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. At the Games he finished fifth in the final of the 100 metres, along with reaching the semi-finals in the 200 metres.

Outside of athletics Joubert studied law at the University of Stellenbosch, gaining a BA in 1931, and an LLB in 1933, before being admitted as an advocate of the Supreme Court in 1934. The same year he was appointed secretary to Mr. Justice de Waal, the Judge President of the Transvaal. After practising law for some years Joubert then joined the civil service. He became a key figure on transportation boards and committees, with him being appointed as the Secretary of Transport for South Africa. The Danie Joubert Freeway, part of the ring road in Pretoria, was named after him, along with various streets in both South Africa and Namibia.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.61 (1932); 200 – 21.2y (1931).