Shatadi Phoshoko

Shatadi Phoshoko, 28, blends her love for storytelling and justice. She serves as a candidate attorney at the Unisa Law Clinic, where she provides free legal assistance to indigent people while mentoring students in moot court, debates and practical legal skills. As a Bachelor of Laws graduate and a Master’s in Corporate Law candidate, Shatadi’s leadership journey is marked by numerous achievements. She was the first female secretary general of both the Unisa Law Students Association and the Unisa SRC, a co-author on decolonising the law, and a former Unisa Council board member. She has shared platforms with legal icons such as Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, participated in national dialogues,  and initiated Unisa’s Student Debt Relief Fund campaign. Her advocacy extends beyond academia as the founder of the Justice for Women Collective, an NPO empowering women through legal education and support. Her driving force is a commitment to justice, equality,  and ensuring that the opportunities she has are used to uplift others and make her family proud.

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of South Africa 
• Master’s degree in Corporate Law, University of South Africa – *in progress

• Being elected as the first female secretary general of the Unisa Law Students Association, and subsequently the first female secretary general of the Unisa SRC
• Co-authored a published academic paper on the decolonisation of the law, among other published articles on non-academic platforms
• Being a board member (2021–2023) of the Unisa Council board, and also sitting on other college boards such as the College of Law and the College of Human Sciences board at the university
• Representing Unisa at the South African Law Deans’ Association Conference (2019)
• Being a panellist presenter at the International Association of Women Judges – South Africa, among legal heads such as Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and Judge President Mahube Molebela
• Initiating the Unisa Student Debt Relief Fund Campaign during my tenure in the SRC in 2023
• Being invited to a roundtable with other young female trailblazers by Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
• Being a panellist speaker at the 2021 5th Unisa–South African Women in Dialogue (Sawid) – United Nations (UN) Women Dialogue

Draw deep inspiration from the women in my life. My grandmother, the wisest and most resilient woman known, embodies the strength and courage that are aspired to. My mother’s unwavering work ethic and compassionate spirit have shaped my approach to life and leadership. There is deep admiration for trailblazing women such as Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who have overcome immense resistance to lead with clarity, conviction and purpose.