I am a solution driven, cum laude Bachelor of Laws graduate of the University of South Africa. I am the second born in a family of five children. I live in Durban with my parents and siblings. My siblings are the force behind my hard work. As an elder sister, I strive to lead by example, inspire and give them hope for the future.

Growing up I have always been so eager to bring meaningful and significant change in people’s lives. I maintain that the law is a powerful tool that should be used to bring change, fairness and equality. I have always been determined to be the voice to the voiceless. It is our social responsibility as the youth of this nation to embrace and ensure positive dynamism in the key areas of our social lives.

The first step towards achieving my objective was to obtain the Bachelor of Laws degree. I was accepted to study at the University of South Africa. As a first-year student at the university, I was excited and yet nervous. I was not confident that I would manage studying through open distant learning. Despite the difficulties and challenges, senior students encouraged me to stay positive. I was so eager to excel and defy the odds. My goal was to graduate in record time.

The journey towards completing my studies has been eventful. I learnt about the core values of endurance, independence and responsibility. Organising ourselves into groups and co-operating with other students was part of adapting and developing key skills in managing challenges in the modern era.

Despite all the challenges I faced with my studies, I am grateful and give many thanks to my father, Mr Martin Chiswa, who moved mountains to ensure that I complete my studies. It was not easy, yet he sacrificed everything to fund my studies. His endless efforts inspired me to work harder.

My eagerness and motivation are clearly reflected in my previous involvement in legal related activities. In 2016, I had the privilege of being a volunteer at Victim Support at Montclair South African Police Service in Durban. This was an enriching and great experience as I learnt first-hand key issues concerning maintenance and domestic violence. During the vacation of November 2017, I worked at Tate, Nolan and Knight Attorneys. My duties involved law research, court attendance and attending to queries and client consultations. In the same year, I was also elected as the treasurer of Black Lawyers Association Student Chapter in Durban. I was re-elected for a second term as the media and publicity officer of Black Lawyers Association. I participated at ProBono during the National Wills Week as a volunteer assisting with drafting wills at the office of the Master of the high court in Durban.

During the November 2019 vacation, I worked at Bilal Malani Attorneys. My duties included attending court proceedings and undertaking legal research. In December 2019, I had the opportunity to participate in the annual SABWiL  Human Rights Court which was based on section 20 of the Constitution, as a junior counsel. Participating in the moot court competition was a great experience. I gained analytical, research and drafting skills. I am proud to say that I was part of a great team that ultimately won the competition.  

I believe that every person has the power to create a better tomorrow. The journey is never easy, you must therefore, work smart, be resilient, persevere and maintain a positive mind-set. Always remember that courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage all the members to adhere to the COVID-19 regulations. Stay safe and keep the faith. Together we can conquer. Ubuntu. Ayafezeka amaphupho.

Alumna Natasha Chiswa
SABWiL Alumni

My journey is a testimony of God’s abundant grace. Being raised by a single mother, a lot of sacrifices had to be made to enable me to be educated to this point. The most significant highlight of my school journey was when I completed high school with sterling results. However, not being able to afford tuition for university obliterated my dreams to study further. The experience was as if my life was over, as I had applied for bursaries without any success. This forced me to opt for a gap year, without any knowledge and plans for how or when was I going to university. Although this was the hardest and most testing point of my life, I remember that I made a promise to myself when I was in my third grade which was to become a lawyer when I grow up.

In the year 2015,I faithfully knelt down and declared the following prayer: “Dear God, may you grant me the opportunity to get into university in order to study law. When I complete my course, I would like everyone to look at me and know that it was You. I know and I believe this will happen one day. Amen”.

In 2016 I enrolled at the University of South Africa. This is a place where my selfdevelopment heightened, where I learnt that the power to be whatever I want to be lies deep within me and that wherever life plants me, I have no choice but to bloom.

I joined the Black Lawyers Association Student Chapter (BLAsc) UNISA in 2017. It was through this organisation that I managed to write and present two research papers at the UNISA spring law conferences. The first one was on racism in schools and the other focused on women, justice and the law.

In 2018 I did my vacation work at M.I.T Tshoga Attorneys in Rustenburg, where I was exposed to the practical aspect of the law. In June 2019 I became a member of South African Black Women in Law (SABWiL), by shadowing Adv. F. Opperman of Pitje Chambers. Counsel Opperman commended my determination, resilience and hard work, which led to me working for him for a few months. I regard this as an amazing opportunity.

In December 2019, I won one of the most outstanding awards under Girl Power (GP) South Africa. I was recognised as an outstanding social justice activist that year. This was as a result of all I had accomplished with organizations such as: GP, BLASC, SABWiL and Crown Girl-Out Loud (CGOL).

I finally obtained my LL.B in 2020. Even though COVID-19 prevented me from attending my graduation ceremony, I look back with great joy as I reflect on God’s faithfulness in my life. I am super proud of the woman I have become over the years and prouder of the difference ‘she’ has made in life. I am currently working towards enrolling for my master’s degree and desire to work outside Africa someday.

In the words of Colin Powell, “A dream does not become a reality through magic, it takes sweat, determination and hard work!” Vuk’uzenzele.

We encourage all our members to adhere to the Covid-19 rules and regulations.

Sanitize and stay safe. Ubuntu.

Alumna Nolwandle Mlalazi
SABWiL Alumni 

My name is Lerato Mudau and I was born in Mamelodi, Pretoria. I grew up in the shadow of my father who was a well-known soccer player. Many of the members in our community believed that I would also become a soccer player. Contrary to what many people thought I would be later in life, my mother chose to nurture us in a private space, away from our father’s fame. Frankly, life was and is still not as fancy as it seems. Fortunately, my mother is a great supporter of education. Against all the adversities we faced, she made sure that I was able to attend school.

After matriculating in 2014, I was successful in obtaining a bursary. I enrolled for the LL.B degree at the University of Free State. This enabled me to study at Varsity College. The journey was rocky as I unfortunately failed all my first-year modules. Dismayed as I was, in 2016 I enrolled for the BCom law degree. Once again, I failed all the commercial modules but passed all the law related modules. As a result, I forfeited my bursary. Fortunately, I had the support of my mother, as she encouraged me to pick myself up and continue with the race.

In the year 2017, I was able to enrol at the University of South Africa (UNISA) for the LL.B degree. I then found strength to apply for another bursary and by the grace of God, it was awarded to me at the beginning of 2018. I am currently in the final year of my law studies. The journey has taught me not to easily give up as I am capable of accomplishing anything I set my mind to do.

As a law student, I have been extensively involved in various legal activities which have allowed me to develop a strong knowledge of the law. I participated in a shadowing programme which ran for six months under the supervision of Advocate Tebogo B. Molefe, who is still my mentor.

On the 8th to the 26th of July 2019, I had the honour and privilege to make a profound contribution to this noble profession by participating in the Honourable Judge President Mlambo’s filing project. The project was facilitated at the High Court in Johannesburg. In the same month, I joined the Student Litigation Society (SLS) as a volunteer and I was later appointed to be a part of the events co-ordination committee. It was during this time that I learnt about the existence of South African Black Women in Law (SABWiL).

One of my greatest achievements is becoming an Alumna of our prestigious movement. I joined the SABWiL Alumni fold in November 2019 through a shadowing programme conducted by Advocate Samantha Martin. Advocate Martin introduced me to two of her colleagues who provided me with great insight and advice regarding the legal profession. It was during this programme that I was exposed to and taught how the law of civil procedure functions in our legal systems and how issues concerning civil matters are conducted both in magistrates’ and high courts. Surely, being part of the SABWiL Alumni has been a great pleasure and has exposed me to a lot of opportunities. On the 8th of July 2020 I was appointed as the Academic and Legal Research Officer.

Serving my community has always been at the core of my heart. I aspire to use my education and skills to make a difference in people’s lives. Thus, I have an interest in family law, international human rights law and medical law. I resonate with the words of Benjamin Franklin – “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”.

Words of encouragement which I want to impart to all my learned friends are as follows: We should remember that the day we plant seeds will not be the same day we harvest. As Aristotle states, “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet”. Being patient, humble and working smart as we continue with our respective journeys will eventually produce the results we all seek. Vuk’uzenzele.

We encourage our members to adhere to the COVID-19 rules and regulations. Stay safe and sanitize. Ubuntu.

Lerato Mudau
SABWiL Alumni NEC (Academic and Legal Research Officer)

After matriculating in 2015, I applied to the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). By faith I was admitted to study for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law the following year. Upon completion of this degree in 2018, I enrolled for the LLB degree. I am currently in my final year.

The rationale behind my degree choice was inspired by my late grandfather, who dreamt of becoming a lawyer one day. Unfortunately, he was only able to secure a cleaning job at a law firm in the early nineties, under the apartheid system.

I believe that as human beings, we need to live our lives in accordance with certain rules and principles. I personally live by a rule which I extracted from 12 Rules of Life, a book by Dr Jordan B Peterson. Rule 9 of the book states: “Always assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t”. It is through this rule that I understood the importance of always being attentive to everyone around me.

My university journey has been an interesting one. It has assisted in shaping me into the person that I am today. In my early university days, I aimed to study so that I would graduate and be awarded my degree. However, in my second year (2017) I joined an organisation called Enactus. This experience played a pivotal role in building my personality and character. I realised that being in university was not only about studying one’s preferred course. It was also to nurture, train and develop oneself.

Enactus provided me with a platform to be who I wanted to be and it exposed me to a variety of opportunities that improved my leadership skills. It was through this experience that I received the opportunity to educate in many disadvantaged communities, thus, contributing to improve livelihoods. My passion to help the less fortunate exists because of the great love I have for my community. My experience at Enactus taught me the value of humility and appreciating all the little things on this journey called life.

In 2019 I joined another great organisation known as Black Lawyers Association Student Chapter (BLAsc). I joined this organisation because I wanted to learn more about the legal profession through active participation in their programmes. BLAsc has also exposed me to great opportunities. One opportunity entailed submitting arguments for assessment. Individuals with excellent arguments were to be chosen to form part of a team that would compete against other universities in the Foreign Direct Investment International Arbitration Moot competition (FDI).

Initially, I was hesitant to draft an argument for submission. I, however, decided that I had nothing to lose. To my surprise, I was chosen to form part of the team. Through this opportunity, I was introduced to an amazing group of people with whom I am still close today. Our team won the FDI competition. This experience has greatly impacted my growth in the legal community and has ignited a strong passion for international investment law.

My teammates and I went on to enter the 2019 SABWiL Human Rights Court after winning the FDI moot. The entrenched section 20 right to citizenship was in issue. Though different to the FDI competition, it was an exceptionally good learning experience. I met amazing people through this competition who assisted me to work more effectively in a team. The experience further presented opportunities for me to grow as a person, as well as in my understanding of the law. I appreciate having the opportunity to be part of the SABWiL movement.

I believe that the mind is everything. With the right mind-set, we can achieve anything to which we set our minds. It is important to take every opportunity that comes our way with both hands. Vuk’uzenzele.

We continue to urge our members to practice physical distancing and observe the rules that are in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Ubuntu.

Alumnus Thobelani Ngcobo
SABWiL Alumni

I graduated from my alma mater, the University of Witswatersrand, in the year 2017. I began the year 2018 unemployed, however, I was comforted by a scripture which lay deep in my heart, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 which reads: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to plant, a time to pluck what is planted, a time to break down and a time to heal. A time to seek and a time to lose. A time to keep silent and a time to speak.”

I made a decision to allow rejection to teach me rather than to deter me. I chose to pay attention to the season I was in and allowed the Lord to guide me. As cliché as it may sound, the experience of rejection enlightened me and afforded me an opportunity to plan my career path. The experience revealed to me that I had no idea what I wanted to achieve with my degree and whether I wanted to take the route towards admission as an attorney or the route towards admission as an advocate. The experience further exposed that I was not aware of other areas of practice within the field of law.

The year 2018 was a season of seeking knowledge and planting seeds. I was intentional about every space wherein I found myself, the people I surrounded and the material I read. The series of good fortune began on 10 March 2018 when I discovered Sinako of #SinakoWeCan as I was fortunate enough to attend the #SinakoWeCan Constitutional Court Tour. This experience reignited my passion for the law. It was also the day I became aware of South African Black Women In Law (SABWiL) and the day I met Advocate Ayesha Tiry.

Advocate Ayesha Tiry is an exceptional person. As she spoke about her journey as an advocate during the #SinakoWeCan tour, I was truly inspired. I left the #SinakoWeCan tour with two most important tools that have played a pivotal role in the person I have become. The first one is the principle to believe in myself, which I continually apply for self-development, and the second, an opportunity to form part of the SABWiL Alumni fold.

The opportunity manifested in the form of SABWiL Shadowing. I applied for the April intake and had the privilege of shadowing Advocate Boitumelo Molojoa. I am grateful for the practical learning experience. It was an experience that helped me better understand the role of an advocate and the journey to becoming an advocate. As a result of that experience, I decided that further practical experience was necessary. I therefore applied for the six months Practical Legal Training (PLT) programme in which I was enrolled from July to December 2018. I owe my ability to effectively consult with clients, draft pleadings, work under pressure both as an individual and with a collective to those six months of PLT.

As my journey of seeking knowledge and planting seeds continued, whilst I was attending PLT, I learnt about the South African Chapter: International Association of Women Judges (SAC-IAWJ). I was unfortunately not eligible to take part in the programme as it is reserved for final year LLB students. However, after making representations, I was afforded an opportunity to shadow and be mentored by her Ladyship Justice Margaret Victor until January 2019. In February 2019, Justice Victor presented me with an opportunity to be the programme co-ordinator of the SAC-IAWJ– Sexual and Gender Based Violence under the schools programme.

I continued working closely with Justice Victor and with both her usher and clerk as I learnt about the legal profession from a Judge’s perspective. This experience equipped me with knowledge on different court processes from roll call to preparation for trial, the actual trial, the research work undertaken by Judges, the drafting of orders and ultimately the work that goes into making sure justice is served. My time with Justice Victor was cut short due to receiving a phone call from my current Principal who had interviewed me the previous year. I was asked whether I was available to serve my articles of clerkship. After possibly one of the most important conversations of my life with Justice Victor, I accepted the job offer and began my articles of clerkship in March 2019.

I cannot express enough gratitude to all those with whom I have crossed paths, those who allowed me to learn from them, enabling me to be where I am today. I am currently in my final year of articles of clerkship and I am preparing to write my remaining Board exams. My intention is to take the route towards admission as an attorney. My journey is not special. I only hope to encourage our members to accept and truly appreciate that the journey in the legal profession will not be an easy one. I want to encourage everyone to prepare themselves. We may find ourselves knocking on doors that might not be opened. Expect rejection but do not allow the rejection to define you. Be intentional, ask for assistance and show up. Excel whenever you are afforded the opportunity.

I resonate with the words in the book of 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of self-discipline”. Let us discipline ourselves and not be afraid. Let us know that we are powerful. We should do what we love with love and we will succeed.

We urge our members to observe the rules that are in place to prevent the surge of Covid-19. Ubuntu.

Nthabiseng Motsie
SABWiL Alumni-Inaugural NEC Alumna

I was born and raised in the dusty streets of Alexandra, an environment ravaged by the scourge of unemployment, poverty, crime, teenage pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse. I was raised in a single parent household with an unstable income that could only cater to our barest necessities. Subsequent to matriculating in 2013, I opted for a gap year during which I devoted myself to the pursuit of knowledge and developed a keen interest in the law. This resulted in a burning desire to immerse myself in the legal field.

In the following year I applied to study towards the Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree at the University of South Africa. I was granted admission. Pursuing my studies was a great leap of faith as my financial background could have possibly diminished my desire to study. Securing employment a few months into my legal studies aided to lessen the financial burden on my family and provided funding for my education. I have since made it to the final semester without experiencing financial exclusion. I would not have made it this far if I had allowed my financial situation to limit my ability to dream for a brighter future. Had I postponed my plans and waited for a financial breakthrough, I probably would have fallen into the trap of stagnation. It occurred to me that I should never limit my dreams to the possible, instead, delve into what seems impossible.

I am grateful for receiving practical legal exposure through our SABWiL Shadowing programme. Luminary Attorney Denise Swartz graciously permitted me to SABWiL Shadow at the prestigious Swartz Attorneys in October 2019. I further participated in the annual SABWiL Human Rights Court (SHRC) held in December 2019 presided over by SHRC Chief Justice Adv. Soraya Hassim SC. I was a litigant immersed in solving a matter concerning section 20 of the Constitution.

Being invested in the development of my community and the legal profession has spurred me to affilitate with several progressive bodies advocating for change.I am a member of the Black Lawyers Association Student Chapter (BLASC). I serve as a young scholar society member at SASLAW. I currently have the privilege to serve as the Projects and Events Co-ordinator in our South African Black Women in Law (SABWiL) movement.

Along my journey, I realised that there is power that lies in one’s ability to dream beyond the current circumstances. This has yielded great results in my life and I challenge us to dream. I resonate with the sentiments of Robert Fritz – ”If you limit your choices to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want and all that is left is compromised’’. Here’s to daring to live beyond our current means, Vuk’uzenzele. I urge our members to practise physical distancing, wear masks and wash hands frequently to prevent the surge of covid-19. Ubuntu.

Nthabiseng Nkopane
SABWiL Alumni NEC (Projects and Events Coordinator)

Growing up during my early years, I appreciated the juxtaposed life I lived – leaving my grandmother’s house every morning by bus on the one hand, to engaging and holding my own among my fellow privileged school mates in the city on the other. Many similar experiences manifested during my undergraduate studies.

As a law student, I engaged in a variety of activities – the highlight being the 2017 UNISA Moot Court Competition wherein I had the privilege of participating. Mooting saw my teammates and I appearing before prominent legal figures such as the former Deputy Judge President of the High Court (GLD), Justice P. Mojapelo, as well as our very own SABWiL Founder, Adv. Ayesha Tiry. Winning the UNISA National Moot Court Competition that year whilst I studied via correspondence as a distance learner, testifies to the invaluable skills that can be attained through perseverance and commitment.

The moot competition, along with other legal engagements, such as the SABWiL Shadowing experience with Adv. Naseema Adam of Maisels Chambers truly sharpened my career competencies. These competencies coupled with the discipline of working under pressure and managing an intense workload within a stipulated deadline became incalculable when I commenced my articles of clerkship. These experiences are but diamonds extracted from a journey of intense heat and pressure. However, it is the fusion of passion and love I have for people and the law that has sustained me through this journey.

I derive a great source of consciousness from my grandfather’s experience of being a Malawian refugee in South Africa. His story sparked a deep love for public interest law, and refugee law in particular. Imagine the excitement that consumed me after receiving a confirmation letter of appointment as a Lawyers for Human Rights intern, under their ‘Refugee and Migrant Rights’ programme – I was elated!

Through the internship, I was afforded the opportunity to actualise the foundational values embraced and promoted by the SABWiL movement, inter alia the spirit of ubuntu, as well as the consciousness of dignity, equality and freedom. Nothing makes you realize what it means to be a pioneer of justice quite like being on the frontline of assisting displaced, destitute, and culture shocked asylum-seekers, amid fighting the continent destroyer – xenophobia.

What I thought would be a straightforward journey to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), took a detour when I made the decision to serve articles at a corporate law firm. The quote “if you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans” could not be more true. I have come to learn that the journey of becoming a notable legal practitioner, specifically at the candidate legal practitioner level, is to gain experience in various areas of practice in order to make an informed decision on specialisation.

As the end of my article contract nears, I am that much more grateful for the detours and interjections. These have allowed me to engage in work of which I could never have dreamt. My journey has placed people on my path that I otherwise would never have known. Yes, my UNHCR dream is still alive, but how I get there, is for God to continue to write.

Clean hands are healthy hands.
Let’s stop the surge of Covid-19, by adhering to the national regulations imposed around social distancing, washing of hands, and wearing masks.
Ubuntu

Abigail Omowele
SABWiL Alumni NEC (Media and Public Relations Officer)
Candidate Attorney – Erasmus De Klerk Incorporated