“For you to be able to move on from certain things in life you need to understand that it is not always about you”, he said with a faint smile on his face.

Matsobane Johannes Matlhanya faced the unfortunate fate that a lot of young people face of not being to continue with his varsity career after being excluded due to financial reasons. He had to figure a way to move forward with life and after 10 years he was able to complete his degree and is a few inches from realizing his wildest dream come true.

What compelled you to go back to university to complete your law studies after not being able to continue the first time due to financial constraints?

Firstly, it has always been my passion to become a lawyer and with that I always knew that dropping out for me was not a failure on my part, so it was not a coincidence or something that I had to think about twice because I know I had to complete my studies at the end of it all. I am one person that believes that once I have started something, I must see it through and complete it because it was not only a vision but a mission.

How did it feel for you then to drop out because of financial reasons and looking back now at how your journey unfolded how do you feel?

Then, I obviously felt disappointed to not be able to complete my law degree in record time as someone who had always aimed high and everyone that knew me in high school had these expectations from me, so it was overwhelming. It nearly crushed me but because of my beliefs and religious background I always looked up to God to give me guidance in whatever I do in life.

Now the feeling…I would not say I am excited but with the same breath, I would say that it is more like a vision that I had is coming to fruition where it is more a reality, and with that there is a sense of accomplishment that I have at the moment. The experience has taught me to not be comfortable with any current situation that I find myself in, be it good or bad, because anything can change at any time.

What was the main drive for you to study law?

I always give the same answer when it comes to that. I became politically conscious at a very young age and knowing that Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo were lawyers motivated me to also want to make change and to influence decisions that are made on our lives. As a person it is important to use your position to bring change in people’s lives and to also influence the direction in which your life takes according to our constitution.

You worked for the SAPS for 10 years while completing your studies, what were some of the challenges you faced studying while working such a demanding job?

It was difficult to be around people who don’t share the same vision as you because obviously others will try to pull you down, so that is one challenge. And others would ridicule me for not appreciating the security that came with working for the government and enjoying all the benefits that came with that. I was also viewed as a threat to my then superiors in some way.

How would you say working as a Police Officer contributes to the way that you represent your clients and how you approach a legal case?

One of the most important aspects of being a lawyer is being streetwise as well, you need to relate with different people at every level. Being a police officer is about serving the community and that taught me how to be humble when serving my clients. These two professions are a service to the people so being a police officer contributed a lot in terms of my character, and in terms of being bold wherever needed, also in terms of using different approaches when dealing with different people.

After acquiring your law degree, and acquiring the necessary qualifications you opened your own law firm, what compelled you to take that route instead of seeking employment?

Look, I always knew from a young age that I was born to be a leader. I am a leader. And I had already experienced how it was working for someone else, I was employed with the SAPS for 10 years! For me to go back to that system did not make sense, I did that for 10 years, and I was bored already.

What are some of the challenges you face with running your own practice and what are the rewards?

Challenges are more on the financial side because you need capital to run your own firm. Also, the issue of needing extra hands to assist you as those people will have to be paid so finding a way to source our clients so that we can keep running is quite challenging.

The rewarding thing is that you get to learn every day about managing finances, keeping employees motivated as well as keeping myself motivated. It builds character. Also in good cases, there are good financial rewards.

Would you change anything in the way that your journey unfolded, if so, what would you change and if not please elaborate.

No, I would not change anything because it would mean that I would have to change everything about myself. I would have to make a choice about who my parents are, and I would have to make a choice about how God wanted to prepare me for whatever came my way to make me stronger and into the person I am today. I would basically have to change who I am. No one chooses the family they are born into. It is what it is.

God was preparing me for greater things as it is also my duty to build a legacy for my children and my entire family.

What would you say to young people who know are destined for a certain path in life but find themselves challenged by situations beyond their control?

Find your purpose. Know who you are. Understand your journey. For you to be able to move on from certain things in life you need to understand that it is not always about you.

This interview was written as part of the Fundza Fellowship Programme.