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T R A I L B L A Z E R

WE WILL RISE ABOVE

OUR CHALLENGES

I

grew up in Amatikwe, Inanda. When I I am a partner at Shepstone and Wyle
speak to people who care to listen, I say Attorneys, and Chairperson of the Ithwelenye
Amatikwe is arguably the poorest area within Development Initiative, a non-profit company
the INK region. For my primary and secondary which has changed the lives of young people of
education I went to Amatikwe Lower Primary, Amatikwe. For my community work, I was
Ithwelenye Primary, eQinisweni Primary and declared a finalist in the Greatest Community
matriculated at Nkosinathi High School in Leader of the Year Award 2013 run by Sunday
1989. After my matric, I was fortunate enough Times and Jonnie Walker Black. For all my
to get a bursary and went to study law at the achievements, fear of poverty is what drove
then University of Natal. Without a bursary me to work hard and I am a living testimony
from the South African Institute of Race that education is a key to prosperity. I would
Relations, my mother could not have afforded also highlight the importance of mentorship
my university education. My dad passed away and guidance from those we see as role
when I was five years old, leaving my mom to models.
take care of myself and two of my younger
brothers. As we celebrate 25 years of democracy, I look
back and I realise that back in the days matiwe
I registered to do BProc degree, which I was an area with poor infrastructure
obtained in 1993. In 1994, I obtained my LLB development. Today, we have tarred roads,
degree. In 2004, I obtained my Masters in Law. community halls, electricity and running water.
I did my articles of clerkship with Garlicke and I have also observed the building of new chools
Bousfield for two years, passed my board in Amatiwe: two high schools and four primary
exams and qualified as an attorney in 1997. In schools. I have seen people being provided
1999, I joined Island View Storage as a senior with houses.Back in the days people were not
HR Officer and when I left them in 2001, I was empowered to express themselves and had no
their Labour Relations anager. I went back to right to choose a government of their choice
Garlicke and Bousfield to practise law and and I think that is the greatest achievement of
worked as a labour lawyer. After six years of our democracy. Our people go around with
practising labour law, I ventured into property pride knowing that they are true citizens of
law. I joined KZN’s largest law firm Shepstone this country.
and Wyle, and I have been a property lawyer
for 15 years now. The journey of our democracy has not been
without challenges. Firstly, I feel that we have
I have seen lot of growth in myself over the created a welfare state that has created a huge
past 15 years. In 2017, I was appointed by the dependence on the state. I wish to see people
then President of the Republic of South Africa being taught that democracy should never be a
as member of the Judicial Service Commission substitute for hard work. Poverty, inequality
(JSC) a body, which, among other things, and unemployment rates remain high. owever,
interviews and recommends the appointment I am hopeful that South Africa will rise above
of judges. Until September 2018, I acted as the all its challenges and grow to be a prosperous
Chairperson for the Durban ICC Board and nation.
served as a non-executive director for five
years. Looking forward to more years of democracy.

“I wish to see people

being taught that
democracy should

never be a substitute Occupation:
for hard work.” S f i s o M s o m i s t r o n g l y b e l i e v e s Property lawyer, community
t h a t e d u c a t i o n i s a k e y t o p r o s p e r i t y . builder

09 | Trailblazer