Attorney an inspiration to others
“I HAVE never really had a role model; instead I had everyone around me who I never wanted to be like,” said Zintle Baleni, from Gugulethu. At the age of 23, she will become one of the youngest people in the country to be admitted as an attorney, conveyancer and notary when she is sworn in at the Western Cape High Court today.
Baleni registered for an LLB at UWC and graduated in April 2018. She said her love for law began when she was 5 years old.
“My late grandmother, who raised me, used to say I talk a lot and I ‘lie’ a lot. She said I would be a great attorney, and I think by saying that, a seed was planted,” Baleni said.
The last-born of three said she had used studying as a way to escape the life that surrounded her.
“I come from a family of hardcore criminals, murderers and robbers. I knew that this was not the life I wanted for myself, so then I used studying as a way to escape,” she said.
“I think my biggest motivation was wanting a better future for myself and wanting to be a source of inspiration for my younger relatives. I wanted them to know that there is actually good that can come out of our family, that the wrongs of others should never taint what we seek to achieve or become.”
Baleni recently completed her articles with Bernadt Vukic Potash and Getz Attorneys (BVPG).
“The sad part is the one person I’ve shared this dream with, my grandmother, passed away on December 19 last year, but I trust she (is) watching and smiling in heaven,” she said.
Attorney, notary and conveyancer Zoe Van Wyk of BVPG said: “Following her admission as an attorney, notary and conveyancer today, Zintle has been appointed as an associate in our property department. The firm congratulates Zintle on her admission and appointment, and also for being the youngest attorney to be admitted this year.”