THE WHEELS OF TRANSFORMATION IN THE LEGAL SECTOR TURN SLOWLY

The focus on a broadly representative judiciary was recently in the spotlight during the recent judicial services commission interviews for superior courts as there is the continued realisation that the objectives of transformation within the legal profession remain to be achieved.

This realisation is one of the reasons I decided to qualify as a conveyancer of the High Court of South Africa. The property industry is falling behind in the journey of transformation. One of the best ways to address this lag is for young legal professionals to enhance their training and step into spaces which were not previously as broadly representative of the South African population.

I am very passionate about inspiring young people, and more specifically young women to rise above the challenges that are inevitably faced by the South African youth. In August 2022, I attended the National Youth Development Agency’s Executive Chairpersons “Women of Firsts” High Tea; which was an initiative of the Office of the Executive Chairperson aimed at cultivating a diverse pool of influence and leverage representation across various sectors to address socio- economic challenges faced by the South African youth, particularly women. At this event, we pledged our time and resources to the emancipation of young women in our respective sectors.

In the same vein, I participated in the Johannesburg Junior Council’s Women’s Day event which was an outstanding opportunity to speak to young women who want to grow and make an impact in the world they live in and leave it better than they found it. Another platform that has been helpful in my quest to reach young people is the mentorship program under the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges.

The Department may have the mandate to foster transformation within the legal profession, However, it remains imperative that legal professionals themselves take active steps to ensure that the demographics of the country are well represented within the profession to ensure an adequate response to the needs of the people and promote equal access to justice.

Nomlayo Mabhena-Mlilo