[1] After matriculating from Osborn High School, he worked briefly as an administrative clerk in Tsolo in 1974 before enrolling at the University of Fort Hare in 1975.
[1] His education was interrupted in 1978, when he served as an acting assistant magistrate in various Eastern Cape courts (Cofimvaba, Tsolo, and Mthatha), but he returned to the University of Fort Hare in 1979,[1] graduating the following year with a BJuris.
[1][2][3] After resigning from the cabinet position, he served briefly as a magistrate in East London before taking up work as a lecturer at the government's Justice College in Pretoria from 1993 to 1996.
[1] His private clients included civil servant Linda Mti, whom he represented in a drunk-driving matter;[4] High Court judge Nkola Motata, in another drunk-driving matter;[5][6] and justices Chris Jafta and Bess Nkabinde, whom, with his friend Selby Mbenenge,[7] he represented in Judicial Service Commission and court hearings after judge John Hlophe was accused of having attempted improperly to influence justices Jafta and Nkabinde.
[8][9] More prominently, on several occasions, Tokota was instructed by the State Attorney to represent government departments in litigation, including in several matters which were reported or heard in the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
Tokota was to the Marikana Commission what Justice Clarence Thomas is to the United States Supreme Court: as silent as a night in the deep Karoo.
[1][2] Prominent matters heard by Tokota included the procurement law matter of Majojobela v MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform,[18] as well as the pre-trial motions in the prosecution of several politicians and public servants (including Sindiswa Gomba and Zukiswa Ncitha) who were accused of misappropriating funds set aside for the memorial services of former president Nelson Mandela.