Shoulder to the Grindstone Produces Rewards for LLB Student

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Hard work paid dividends for 26-year-old final-year UKZN Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree student Ms Chloë Lead when she was awarded the College Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship that recognises her commitment, endurance, and sacrifices over the past two years.

Growing up in Durban and attending diverse schools, Lead developed a strong sense of respect, empathy, and appreciation for individuals from different backgrounds. Her family instilled in her values of kindness towards others and respect for the environment, shaping her compassionate worldview.

After facing the challenges brought on by COVID-19, the lockdown and personal struggles with anxiety, she made the courageous decision to deregister from her postgraduate LLB studies at Wits University ‘after I had completed a Bachelor of Arts triple majoring in Law, Psychology and French the year before and had been enrolled for an LLB for only three months,’ she said.

This hiatus allowed her to explore various experiences, including research work, teaching, and volunteering in rural Zululand.

‘Stepping away from academia provided me with an opportunity for personal growth and self-discovery, transforming my perspective on success and allowing me to evolve in unexpected ways.’

Enrolling at UKZN as a part-time LLB student while working full-time at an NGO, Asiye eTafuleni, Lead demonstrated unwavering commitment and sacrificed a lot to further her legal education. Inspired by her fellow classmates, many of whom were juggling parenthood, work, and studies, she found strength in the shared dedication of her peers.

‘This scholarship reaffirms that all my hard work, sacrifice and endurance over the past two years - working full time and studying part-time - have been worth it. ‘I had been very strict with myself about saving, while working, but with the cost of living it would still not have been enough to pay for my final year, so I had come to terms with the fact that I would have to take out a loan for the shortfall.’

Guided by the South African Constitution’s preamble, she is determined to commit her life’s work to protecting the rights of vulnerable communities. ‘In the immediate future, I hope to find articles in an organisation which positions itself in the intersection of constitutional, environmental and administrative law. Long-term, I would like to become an advocate - strategic litigation really appeals to me,’ she said.

Words: Sibonginkosi Mabika

Photograph: Albert Hirasen