Bringing change to society

MACALEN Chetty wanted to make a difference to people’s lives and this encouraged him to pursue a career in law.

Chetty, 22, grew up in Durban, and graduated cum laude at UKZN with a Bachelor of Laws degree.

“I dedicated this graduation to my mother who raised me single-handedly after my father’s passing nine years ago.”

Chetty obtained a dean’s commendation in seven semesters, nine certificates of merit and three UKZN scholarships.

Last year, he was a finalist in the School of Law’s moot court and he was awarded the Anand Nepaul Attorneys Prize for best criminal procedure student.

Chetty was also part of the student representative council (SRC).

“I served as the College of Law and Management Studies’ representative on the SRC from 2020 to 2021, and as a mentor to LLB students and tutor to high school learners in my community.”

Chetty said it felt like a full-time job because he needed to balance being a student and being part of the SRC.

“I had to set an example for other students and that motivated me to push and work even harder.”

Chetty said the course was difficult and it required him to be focused and his assignments completed on time.

“I would sometimes be extremely stressed because a Bachelor of Laws is such a demanding degree. I overcame some challenges by managing my time wisely and pre-planning.”

He said it was important for law students to get help when they were not coping.

“I advise anyone who wants to study law to get psychological help and counselling during their time of studying because the course can get stressful.”

Chetty said his studies and experiences at UKZN opened his mind and gave him the knowledge and skills to be the best he could be.

“I will now focus on serving my articles and passing my board exams to qualify as an attorney.”

Chetty is currently working at a law firm in Johannesburg, and ensuring that his main goal of becoming an attorney becomes a reality.

“I am working for one of the five biggest law firms in South Africa, as a candidate legal practitioner, at ENSafrica.”