Sisters In Conversation

Zulaikha Patel is currently studying towards her LLB degree at the University of South Africa. She is popularly known as an anti-racism and social justice activist. In recent years she has added author and international speaker to her career.

Zulaikha first grabbed the world's attention when she became the symbol of the fight against institutionalised racism at Pretoria High School for Girls. At the tender age of 13 she co-led a protest at Pretoria High School For Girls against institutionalised racism in schools in South Africa and the decolonization of policies in schools, among the policies was the hair policy. Which was followed by several protests across many South African schools at the time.

Some of Zulaikha’s notable accolades include:

- Currently serving as the youngest ambassador to the Charlotte Manna Maxeke Insitution

- TEDx Speaker at the T E D AFRICAN LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY event hosted in Rwanda.

- In 2021 Zulaikha published a children's book titled 'My Coily Crowny Hair' aimed to empower and encourage girls to love their afro hair from an early age. Later that year she was awarded the Visionary Woman Award by the Panache Women of Wonder Awards.

- In 2018 she made ground breaking appearances at multiple speaking engagements as the youngest speaker at Breaking Boarders Africa Youth Summit where she was awarded with, the Inaugural Leadership Award for Immense Contribution into championing the next young generation in Africa as well as being the youngest speaker in the history of the Serious Social Investing Conference hosted by Tshikululu in partnership with Firstrand.

- In August 2016 she Co-Founded the Black Magic Movement which formed part of the #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh movement

- She was the youngest South African woman recognised on BBCs 100 Most Influential Women in the world at the age of 13

We would love to hear from you, tag us on Instagram @sister_in_law_ @zulaikhapatel_

Please don’t forget to review this podcast wherever you listen to podcast. This small act goes a long way in creating awareness of the podcast and maintaining our existing high rating.

Thank you for your commitment to this podcast. I am already excited at the caliber of guests I have lined up for season 5 which airs in March 2024. Until then, please continue sharing the podcast with your loved ones and also re-listening to your favorite episodes. Of course I want you to tag @sister_in_law_ every step of the way.

With lots and lots and lots of Love, until next year!

Tebello Motshwane

Your Sister In Law

Silindile Pearl Mhlongo was born and raised in Umlazi (KZN). She obtained her LLB degree from the University of Cape Town whereafter she served articles and was retained as an associate at Adams & Adams. During her tenure as an associate Silindile made a decision to temporarily leave practice and teach English in China. Upon her return she heeded the call to the bar and has been an advocate since 2022.

Nozipho Mngomezulu is an attorney with 19 years’ experience practicing in the ICT sector. Before joining Telkom SA SOC Limited in November 2022 as the Group Executive: Legal and Regulatory, Nozipho was a partner at Webber Wentzel. Nozipho specialises in advising on all aspects of telecommunications, media, broadcasting and technology law. In particular, Nozipho has in-depth experience advising on all matters relating to the commercial and regulatory aspects of the telecommunications, media, broadcasting and technology environment in South Africa, including, without limitation, negotiating and drafting commercial agreements relevant to the ICT sector, advising on competition and other regulatory considerations impacting the ICT sector (including BEE), and advising on investment considerations relevant to the ICT sector.

We would love to hear from you on Instagram @sister_in_law_ and @zee_mngomezulu

———————— The I am Lady Justice workshop powered by Nedbank is making a comeback in Johannesburg on Saturday 30 September. This is an in-person workshop where women will have the opportunity to engage with an expert panel of legal practitioners on topics pertaining to marriage, divorce, child maintenance, wills, deceased estates and finances.

Early bird tickets are now on sale on https://sisterinlaw.co.za/product/i-am-lady-justice-workshop/

Dr Gisele Chloe Lavita is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, where she teaches the Law of Property module. Gisele completed her LLD at Stellenbosch University, with her dissertation entitled “The regulation of Airbnb: A property law perspective. She graduated with her doctorate at the age of 25, as one of the youngest LLD recipients in South Africa.

We would love to hear from you, get in touch on Instagram @sister_in_law_ and @giselelavita

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The next I am Lady Justice workshop will be taking place on Saturday 30 September from 9am - 2pm at Nedbank (Sandton). This is an in-person workshop which will provide women with a platform to engage with expert legal practitioners on topics pertaining to marriage, divorce, child maintenance and wills/deceased estates. Nedbank has partnered with us to empower women with tools on how to be financially savvy.

Do not miss what promises to be an insightful, informative and fun workshop with lots of opportunity to network. Early bird tickets are now on sale for R680 per person, secure your seat here: https://sisterinlaw.co.za/shop/

Prencess obtained her LLB and LLM in labour law from the University of Johannesburg. She has just under a decade of experience in the legal profession and is currently a partner (executive) at ENS.

Amanda Zwane is a Partner at Shepstone & Wylie. Her areas of practice are in local government and administrative law where she contributes to providing a wide variety of legal services to local government and other public sector clients. These include drafting legal opinions and providing legal advice, drafting legal documents and representing clients in litigation or other hearings before statutory bodies or tribunals. Amanda is also a regular legal opinion contributor to the leading KZN daily newspaper, The Mercury.

Thokozile is an admitted attorney and seasoned infrastructure development professional with over 12 years' experience having worked for multinational companies like Norton Rose Fulbright, Citibank, and E.ON Energy and is currently the COO of Bayakha Infrastructure Partners, an infrastructure fund manager with a mandate to make equity investments in large scale energy, water, ICT and Transport infrastructure projects. She is passionate about skills development and regularly facilitates training for Development Finance Institutions with the Association of African Development Finance Institutions and conducts masterclasses for SMMEs as part of corporate Enterprise and Supplier Development Programmes. Thokozile has served on various public and private sector committees, including the South African Local Government Youth Development Forum Energy Working Committee, the BRICS Women Business Alliance Energy Security Subcommittee, the Climate Council's Working Group for Women's Access to Energy Finance and she chairs the Chaba Winds of Change Community Trust. Thokozile's work in socio-economic development includes founding READPower, a social investment initiative that donates solar lights to enable children to read and do their homework as night. She is a Mandela Washington Fellow and an alumna of the Power Africa/YALI Women in African Power Programme.

Itumeleng Kekana is an accomplished individual with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA). She is an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa and the founding director of Bathuseng Consulting, a case management company, and Bathuseng Legal.

Itumeleng is a trailblazer who identified a gap and seized the opportunity to combine her entrepreneurial passion with her expertise. This led to the establishment of Bathuseng Consulting, a unique fusion of Law and Occupational Therapy. Throughout her career, she has gained experience in various legal divisions including personal injury claims, labour law, medical negligence, third-party claims and litigation in both Magistrates and High Courts.

Bathuseng Legal, another venture led by Itumeleng, operates as a legal consultancy providing a range of services, including a unique specialization in sports law - and as a sports law agent she brings her expertise to this distinct legal field.

Itumeleng Kekana launched WILEW (Women in Law Empowerment Workshops), a remarkable initiative aimed at empowering women through legal education by providing them with valuable information about alternative career paths within the legal sector. Through these workshops, she strives to support and uplift women in the legal profession. 

We would love to hear from you, catch up with us on Instagram @sister_in_law_ and @ma_tumi

Samukelisiwe Mbuthuma is a Candidate Attorney awaiting admission. She holds a LLB and LLM (Constitutional Litigation) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Prior to starting her articles, she worked with the Sister In Law platform and authored articles pertaining to various legal topics. A few of the articles have been translated and published in a local newspaper in KwaZulu-Natal. Her passion lies in using her legal knowledge and skills to educate and empower indigent members of society.

She is currently working on a passion project that will make the law more accessible and understandable to the general public.

We would love to hear from you, get in touch with us on Instagram @sister_in_law_ and @snmbuthuma

Don’t forget to rate and review the show.

www.sisterinlaw.co.za

Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. 

 

They are also a commissioner for the O’Neill-Lancet Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination and Global Health

 

They obtained their LLB from Stellenbosch University. After University, they served articles and later become an associate at Bowman Gilfillan Inc. In July 2016, they served as a law clerk for Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga at theConstitutional Court of South Africa.

 

They obtained the Sonke/UCLA Health & Human Rights Fellowship in 2017/2018 and completed a Masters in Law specialising Public Interest Law and Policy and Critical Race Studies (summa cum laude) .

 

In 2017, they started a literary podcast, The Cheeky Natives, which  primarily focuses on the review, curatorship and archiving of Black literature.  The podcast as seen the likes of Prof Kimberlé Crenshaw, Mona Eltahawy, Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, Darnell L. Moore, Robert Jones Jr and many more. 

 

They were named one of the top 200 Young South Africans in 2018. 

 

In 2022, they formed part of the judging panel for the AKO CAINE PRIZE FOR AFRICAN WRITING

 

They have worked on a number of constitutional cases. This includes an amicus intervention at the Constitutional Court, arguing cost orders against victims and survivors of gender-based violence contribute to a culture of silence.  They have also worked on matters  before the Western Cape High Court and the Malawi Constitutional Court dealing with survivors’ rights to freedom of expression and the criminalisation of consensual sex between minors respectively.

Catch up on Letlhogonolo’s podcast Cheeky Natives here: https://open.spotify.com/show/4dv8VfJ5OoSiMIsSnWxDng?si=w750n8XwQuCfytVlVdhn7Q