At just 27, Mpho Chitapi became the youngest Black female Partner at ENSAfrica, Africa’s largest law firm. This Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) attorney achieved a meteoric rise to the Executive of ENSafrica. She currently occupies the role of Group Technology Head: Legal at Nedbank Limited. Her story is as inspirational as it is empowering, and her journey from humble beginnings as a young Black girl from Vosloorus with big dreams, to having a seat at the table of the best legal minds in Africa, is a living manifestation of the current zeitgeist of Black excellence, the empowerment of young Black professionals and the affirmation that the dreams and aspirations of young Black children remain valid and achievable.

Mpho’s story begins in the township of Vosloorus, where she grew up as the last born in a family of 3 siblings. She demonstrated academic excellence by matriculating in 2009 with 7 Distinctions from the National School of the Arts, and going on to become the first member of her family to complete a University degree (an LLB from the Wits). In the second year of her studies at Wits, Mpho was hand-picked as an outstanding candidate by the recruiters of ENSafrica, and recognising her value potential, they offered her a full scholarship to cover tuition and costs for the remainder of her degree, on condition that she would complete her articles with the firm.

It was this moment that changed the course of her life, and set her on a trajectory that would see her breaking down barriers and breaking through ceilings in ways she could only have dreamed of. In an environment that is not particularly geared towards the upliftment and advancement of Black professionals, Mpho has faced those challenges head on and proven herself an exceptional & capable TMT lawyer. She has driven some of the largest and most complex TMT transactions in recent years, and has built a fire brand as a thought leader in her field, with a volume of published articles, technical blogs, and high profile media and expert panel appearances to her name. Mpho’s exemplary performance over the years did not go unrecognised, and in 2019, she was welcomed into the Partnership of ENSafrica, the youngest Black female ever to achieve this milestone. Mpho was also named one of the Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans of 2019. She is also a finalist for the SA Professional Services Awards for Young Law Professional of the Year which awards are to be held in 2020.

Her achievements are no small feat. According to research conducted by LexisNexis from data provided by the Law Society of South Africa, Black female attorneys make up only 15% of the over 24,000 attorneys in South Africa. They are the least represented demographic. This speaks to the difficulty of making it as a Black female attorney in South Africa, where one often has to work twice as hard to receive half the recognition.

Mpho continues to demonstrate an extraordinary level of determination, drive and diligence in her commitment to her craft as a TMT specialist and in 2019 she obtained her Master of Laws in Information and Communications Law from Wits. At the core of her motivations in life is the empowerment and upliftment of women in general, and Black women in particular. She has embodied Black Excellence in a way that will forever inspire and ignite the dreamer in every Black child who hears her story.

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