Attorney Daryl Burman, 88, Built Haven for Abuse Survivors

When Daryl Burman spotted Olga across a Cape Town dance floor in the 1960s, he knew immediately she was the one. She was there with someone else, but that didn't stop the young lawyer from declaring on their first dance, "I am going to marry you."

They wed on December 4, 1960, beginning a partnership that would last over five decades and transform countless lives. Together, they would build not just a family of four children, but a sanctuary for women and children fleeing violence.

In 1988, Daryl and Olga co-founded Yokhuselo Haven in Nelson Mandela Bay, opening their home to domestic abuse survivors. While Olga worked directly with traumatized women, Daryl supported from the background, always present but never imposing. His colleague Antonette Hamman recalled him attending an online board meeting just three days before he passed away on February 5, 2026, at age 88.

Over seven decades of legal practice, Burman became known as much for his ethical rigor as his courtroom skill. He despised sharp practice and deviousness, modeling integrity for younger attorneys in Gqeberha and beyond.

Peter Horn, a fellow attorney and longtime friend, remembered advice that changed his career. At his first counsel meeting, Burman told him, "You speak when you want to speak and say what you want to say. Don't be intimidated by anyone."

Michael White started at Burman's firm as a 17-year-old student with no formal qualifications. "There was no reason he should have taken me into his practice," White said. Burman opened doors anyway, creating opportunities that shaped entire careers.

The Ripple Effect

Burman's most lasting contribution may be his passionate advocacy for alternative dispute resolution. Long before it became standard practice, he promoted mediation and arbitration as ways to resolve conflicts outside costly court battles.

In April 2025, South Africa's Gauteng High Court made his vision official policy. Now all civil trial matters must attempt mandatory mediation before going to trial, saving clients money and court resources across the country.

His colleague Horn called it "his memorial in the profession" and "a massive step forward" for both lawyers and the public. The policy shift represents thousands of cases resolved more peacefully, just as Burman always believed possible.

Even while transforming legal practice, Burman never lost sight of what mattered most. His son Pierre remembered him as totally devoted to family despite his extreme work ethic. "He balanced work, family and community service seamlessly," Pierre said.

After Olga passed away in 2017, Daryl continued their shared mission at Yokhuselo Haven, staying "sharp as a Minora blade" into his final days.

His legacy lives on in the lawyers he mentored, the families sheltered at the haven he built, and the more peaceful justice system he helped create.