Given his rural roots, Ayanda Makgoka, 28, never imagined the boardrooms and courtrooms he would one day navigate. As a senior associate and executive committee member at MNS Attorneys, Ayanda combines legal expertise with strategic leadership. His work spans corporate commercial, litigation and procurement law, advising on complex matters that shape public and private sector governance. He has contributed to high-profile matters, including the Transnet 1064 locomotives investigation and the SANParks network tender review, sharpening his commitment to law as a tool for ethical accountability. His role on the executive committee signals a broader commitment to transforming the profession. “Representation matters,” he says. “Especially for young, black professionals navigating spaces where our presence is still questioned.” Ayanda holds an LLB from the University of Pretoria and is completing an LLM in public procurement law at Stellenbosch University. He works to demystify the profession for aspiring lawyers from underrepresented backgrounds. At platforms such as the department of justice’s Career Day, he reminds students that their voices, though young, are vital.
My father, who is a judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal, is my greatest role model and mentor. His career has been the blueprint for how I view the legal profession: as a calling grounded in hard work, grace, intellect and deep integrity. I have watched him face and overcome adversities at different stages in my life with nothing but humility and elegance. His influence is the reason I value perseverance and professionalism so strongly, and why I believe legal excellence should always be paired with ethical leadership.