“Since completing my studies, my career path has been eclectic, to say the least,” says advocate and University of Pretoria (UP) alumnus Nyiko Baloyi. The experience epitomises the versatility and depth of a UP qualification, as well as the dynamism of its graduates, he adds.

“I have worked in the construction contracts space and private legal practice; for national and international government bodies; on justice committees and public medico-legal boards; and on legal strategy at a progressive social benefit scheme,” says Baloyi, who graduated with an LLB degree. “It’s truly been an exciting journey thus far, and I can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds.”

Today, Baloyi works at the Road Accident Fund as the National Senior Manager of Legal Administration. He is also a board member of a large provincial hospital in Gauteng, a member of the Institute of Directors South Africa (IODSA), and a committee member of the Department of Justice’s Provincial Efficiency and Enhancement Committees in Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North-West.

Advocate Nyiko Baloyi

During his time at UP, he was on the Law Dean’s list of Academic Merit for being among the top 10% of achievers at the University and top 5% in the Law Faculty.

“Based on academic excellence, I was also fortunate to have been inducted as a lifetime member of the Golden Key International Honours Society,” he adds.

Baloyi also holds various postgraduate certificates, in contract management, public finance management, supply chain management/public procurement and construction contracts. He obtained these qualifications between 2016 and 2018 at UP.

He notes that the Times Higher Education rankings positions UP’s Faculty of Law as the top law school in Africa, which in itself opens many doors.

“However, the quality and esteem of the University also demands excellence from its graduates, which is a trait I always aspire towards in my work,” he says.

Having grown up in a mining town, the Welkom-born advocate says that he was inclined towards a career in geology or engineering. But that trajectory changed when his uncle gifted him with a somewhat obscure legal book titled The Art of Cross-Examination by Francis Lewis Wellman; that’s when his love for law blossomed.

His UP journey began when he was in Grade 10, when he and a couple of friends attended the University’s Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology Week, an annual programme designed to expose prospective learners to the theoretical and practical aspects of engineering and the built environment.

“It was during this time that I was also exposed to the University’s social and academic life,” Baloyi says. “It resonated with me, not to mention the small town feel of Pretoria; it felt like a home away from home and I knew then that this would not only be the place where I further my studies, but the place where I shape and build my life.”

While he is no longer on the roll of practising advocates, Baloyi is acutely acquainted with the challenges faced by young advocates from disadvantaged groups. He points to the lack of opportunities to undertake pupillage, a form of vocational training.

“If they do gain access to pupillage, many aspiring advocates find themselves training under circumstances that set them up for failure,” he explains. “A classic example is the practice of not affording aspiring advocates a stipend during their pupillage; this has dissuaded many from even considering the profession.”

He counts himself fortunate for being chosen by a prestigious law chamber to undertake his pupillage, being admitted as an advocate of the High Court of South Africa and serving on various Department of Justice Committees across the country. But by far, the jewel in the crown was serving on the boards of various provincial hospitals which service large disadvantaged, dispossessed communities in the greater Tshwane area.

“The most important lesson has always been to remain resilient and hungry, because life never gets any easier or more forgiving,” Baloyi says.

As a UP graduate, he believes that all alumni have a duty to advocate for their alma mater through the alignment of their values and those of the university.

“To this day, I strive to conduct myself in accordance with the values entrenched in me by UP,” he says.

Ironically, one of his fondest memories while studying was during test week.

“After a long night of studying, I would treat myself to a Chicken Surprise at Vetkoek Maleis in Hatfield or a Burger Special at Varsity Bakery; these places are institutions among UP students and alumni alike.”