Judge set to marry Portuguese suitor in fine style
● Cape Town high court judge Gayaat Salie is getting married today — nine months after striking up a conversation with a Portuguese suitor who asked her if she was a foreigner touring South Africa.
Salie and Mauro Nunes Mendes da Silva will tie the knot at Casa Labia boutique hotel and club in Muizenberg, Cape Town.
Salie told the Sunday Times she met her fiancé in the “happy and romantic month of February”.
“I was arranging my birthday celebration at the One&Only Hotel [at the V&A] Waterfront, and with the picturesque setting of the venue, which overlooks the marina and Table Mountain, we struck up a conversation,” said Salie.
“Mauro asked if I was a foreigner touring South Africa, and we started chatting about our backgrounds. Indeed, I am a born-andbred South African with ancestry from Southeast Asia, better known as Cape Malay. Mauro is Portuguese, having been raised in Lisbon. Our diverse backgrounds and cultures made [for] very engaging conversation.”
Salie said her daughters “met him in the days thereafter with great enthusiasm and curiosity as to who the gentleman is who is making mom smile and glow”.
“As [the] months followed, my extended family met and grew very fond of Mauro, and soon my uncle Faiek, who steps in for my late father, did the usual inquisitive prodding as to where this love life is taking us, and importantly when we would be getting married, given that dating is not permitted in Islam,” she said.
Da Silva planned to pop the question at a special lookout point along their favourite Atlantic seaboard drive that goes past Llandudno.
“But, [being] too excited, he asked me to marry him in the car en route. To his credit, he did the ‘on bended knee’ proposal a few days later. However, given his Catholic background, he mistook the bended-knee part and went [down] on both knees to ask me to marry him.”
Salie said they shared interests like running, walking and exploring the outdoors.
“Mauro has fortunately come to understand the culture of mall shopping and has a ‘talent’ [for finding] a comfortable spot to sit and wait for me as I get into the important part of retail therapy. Most of all, we understand and appreciate our individual interests, including my passion for the law, and we support and respect each other.”
Da Silva has embraced Islam.
“We chose a venue to [celebrate] our nuptials which closely resembles our love of the outdoors, mountain and sea. It has the beauty of old-fashioned architecture as well as glamorous and ornate interiors,” she said.
“The [plan is to have] a nikah on the lawn overlooking the ocean and a reception in the beautiful restaurant.”
Salie will have seven bridesmaids. One of her three daughters, Nina, will be the maid of honour, while another, Hannah, will walk her down the aisle.
“Guests have been invited to ‘dress to impress’ — an assignment they will no doubt master. With amazing photography and videography teams, we are excited to capture these special moments.”
Salie was previously married to Cape Town high court judge president John Hlophe.