My name is Sivuyile Mpatheni, currently a penultimate law (LLB) student from the University of The Free State. I am also a proud recipient of one of the most prestigious scholarships; the Moshal Scholarship Program.
My passion to study law was inspired by a Public Speaking Competition I had entered in my matric year (back in 2015) which was held at the Provincial legislature of the Eastern Cape in Bisho. In the competition, we were required to critically analyse the then premier’s (Phumulo Masualle) state of the province address and give possible solutions that would seek to address the socio-economic challenges within the province.
During my first year of studies, I had decided to put down my name for a first year’s moot court competition. I knew (at that point) that mooting had always been something I wanted to do. However, the competition had turned out to have been my worst nightmare! Not only did I rank last place out of the 3 other students participating, I went back home feeling empty. “I will never set foot in court again!” I had confided in one of my best friends. I was so filled with self-doubt, embarrassment and regret.
Subsequent to my first and bad experience with mooting, I somehow found the courage to try it out again the following year. I was not about to let one horrific moment of life convince me that I was “less than” and not worthy to argue a legal case. I signed up for the Annual Kovsies National Moot Court Competition and I was selected as one of the 4 students to represent my University at the Supreme Court of Appeal. Surprisingly, not only did my co-counsel and I win the national competition, I was also awarded the two and only awards for ‘best speaker’ and ‘Overall Outstanding English Orator’. I have never stopped mooting ever since.
My mooting journey bears testament to the fact that there is no such thing as
12 February 2019