MEMBERSHIP

General Information

The Association of Arbitrators has various categories of members including Associate Members, Retired Members, and Fellows.  All of these categories of persons are entitled to attend all lectures, seminars, workshops, conferences and the like that the Association organises, to apply for the correspondence courses, to receive the Association’s Handbook and other publications, among which is the newsletter Arbitrarily Speaking!.

These categories denote an interest in, and support of, arbitration and, with the exception of the status of Fellows, does not necessarily mean that the member concerned is qualified to act as arbitrator.  Only Fellows are qualified to act as arbitrators.  For confirmation of the level of qualifications of any one of our members, please do not hesitate to contact the Secretariat.

Joining the Association

The Association has various classes of members:

• Associate Members (AAArb);
• Fellows (FAArb);
• Retired Members;
• International Associates;
• International Fellows;
• Honorary Members.

Please download a 2025 Membership Application Form or contact the Course and Member Manager, Miss Mandisa Mthembu:

Associate Members (AAArb)

Membership of the Association is limited to those who have the acceptable and recognised tertiary qualifications, ie. at least a three‑year NQF level 7 standard.  This standard must be officially recognised as such by the SAQA under the National Qualifications Framework Act 67 of 2008, for example a Bachelor’s Degree or a B-Tech Diploma.

Fellows (FAArb)

Fellows are Associate members who have successfully completed either the Association’s Fellowship Admission Course or its Accelerated Fellowship Course for Advocates and Attorneys.

Retired Members

Retired Members have been members for at least 10 years but are no longer active professionally or engaged in arbitration.

Fees

Please download the 2025 Fee Schedule.

Becoming an Arbitrator

The law requires no other qualifications from arbitrators other than that they are over 18 years of age and in full possession of their civil rights.

Arbitrators may be lawyers but frequently the parties choose an arbitrator for his/her expertise in the subject matter of their dispute, e.g. architects, engineers and the like, who sometimes have little or no formal legal training and experience.

The Association requires all its arbitrators to be thoroughly familiar with, and experienced in, the law and practice of arbitration, the rules of evidence and procedure, the laws of contract and delict, and basic legal principles.  For this purpose, it has an Education Program available.  In addition, the Association requires its arbitrators to be mature, well-balanced personalities, capable of objective and dispassionate judgment, which is assessed in interviews with qualified applicants.