UP lecturer in public law Dr Keneilwe Radebe has been appointed as a member of the South African Law Reform Commission. 

“There are no shortcuts in law. You must be disciplined, research, investigate and be fully involved in the industry. You need to constantly look for solutions to legal challenges. You must have an appetite for constant learning.”

So says Dr Keneilwe Radebe, a senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Department of Public Law, who has been appointed as a member of the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC).

The SALRC is an independent advisory statutory body that was established to investigate the state of South African law, and make reform proposals to the national and provincial legislatures. The nine newly appointed SALRC members will conduct research and investigate all branches of the law of the republic to make recommendations to the government for the development, improvement and modernisation of the law. 

For Dr Radebe, this milestone is the growth of a seed that was planted in her teenage years.

“My interest in the law sector was sparked by a high school excursion that focused on assisting learners with career orientation,” she recalls. “Specialists in various sectors delivered presentations, and I was immediately drawn to the legal sector. I decided to study law because of its diversity and the many specialisation areas within the legal sector.”

Dr Radebe obtained all of her degrees at UP: an LLB in 2009, an LLM in 2014 and an LLD in 2021.

“I thoroughly enjoyed studying at UP as an undergraduate student,” she says. “The University invests in its students and offers great learning opportunities. I was able to work as a tutor for the then Department of Legal History during my undergraduate years. This offered me practical experience as the department was looking for tutors who were hands on, and who would help students excel in challenging subjects.

“Legal history was not the students’ favourite module and I capitalised on that because I loved history. My goal was to assist students to understand the module, and help them realise the important link between history and law.

“History inspires me – the fact that lawyers were among professionals at the forefront of fighting apartheid and equality inspires me. It shows the great power that lawyers have to inspire change and improve the lives of South Africans.”

Dr Radebe was admitted as an attorney of the High Court in 2011 and served her articles of clerkship at a law firm in Pretoria from 2009 to 2011. After her admission, she worked as a law researcher for the North-West High Court in Mafikeng in 2011.

“I worked in Mafikeng quite briefly,” she says. “However, working for the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has always been one of my ambitions. I am grateful to now cross paths again with that department. This is crucial, because our students will be exposed to lecturers who will be able to teach them real-life legal issues and challenges.”

Dr Radebe returned to UP in September 2011 as a junior lecturer and was promoted to senior lecturer in 2023, more than a decade later.

“This demonstrates the importance of believing in your potential, dreams and self-motivation, despite all the challenges,” she says. “Perseverance is crucial – this is something I’d like to emphasise. The greatest lesson I have learned from my tenacity and patience is that you acquire great maturity and great humility, which are requirements for a leadership role such as being a commissioner.”

Dr Radebe is fuelled by her desire to continuously learn and conscientise people – particularly those in vulnerable positions – about their rights.

“I enjoy learning,” she says. “I am a naturally curious person. In my teaching and research, I often question the effect of the law on South African society. Finding myself in a profession that has produced presidents and heads of state fuels me; my passion for justice and equality fuels me; the ability to stand up for vulnerable members of society who are unaware of their rights fuels me; teaching students and practising values of integrity and fairness fuels me. 

“The importance of the legal sector lies in its ability to change society, especially if we consider that lawyers were among the key players fighting for democracy.”

Dr Radebe emphasises that law has no race, gender and age.

“I do not want to be described as a black female lawyer, but as a legal scholar who has a passion for law and social justice. In this way, we are able to inspire collaboration, irrespective of race, gender and age.”