LLB graduand wins coveted Judge Bernard Ngoepe award

Established by the society of Advocates Pretoria Bar of South Africa in 2011. the Judge Bernard Ngoepe award annually recognises South Africa’s final-year law top students who demonstrate academic excellence.

The University of Limpopo (UL)’s LLB graduand Besty Nchabeleng, says receiving the award was an honour and a great milestone in her law career that is about to flourish after emerging as a top student for the 2019 academic year.

“I feel honoured to have received the award, I am proud. Being the hard worker I am, I knew I would top my fellow students but I didn’t think my performance would grab the attention of the Bar, the feeling is overwhelming”, she revels.

Nchabeleng bested other best-performing law students around the country to claim the prize after being nominated by the School of Law at UL. The award also aims to encourage law graduates to enter the legal profession.

She has demonstrated determination and hard work since her first year in 2016 as she kept obtaining high grades. She will be graduating cum laude this year when the university will be holding it’s virtual graduations on 6 July 2020.

The Mpumalanga-born says the law fraternity chose her because coming from a background where her mother was a teacher, she could have easily been influenced to follow suit to study accounting, “but learning about the reputable LLB program and prominent figures in the field who studied at UL inspired me”.

Although adjusting was a bit difficult during the first semester of her first year, having to grasp overwhelming legal jargon, Nchabeleng says she used mentorship programs ans study groups , as well as other support organisations to cope. I joined a non-profit organisation formed by a fellow student – Philip Dhlamini (69), called Advocate Zondeka Makondo African Law Project. The project assists community members in Mankweng wit legal advice, drafts legal documents ans engages clients as part of linking theory to practice”, she reckons.

She says working with the community brought fulfillment in her life. “I love helping people and this qualification places me at the center of my aspirations”, she adds, stating that she is currently under pupillage at the Pretoria Bar.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a bombshell to my immediate dream because I looked forward to shining in the graduation hall to make my parents proud when collecting my degree”, says Nchabeleng who aspires to join a leading law firm and practice as an advocate towards fulfilling her dream to work with some of South Africa’s best legal minds such as Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC.

Judge Bernard Ngoepe is an alumnus of the University of Limpopo and has played a crucial role in shaping the modern South Africa.