The hugely successful fundraising auction at our 2023 MLA Conference has enabled the Trust to provide scholarships to three aspirant maritime lawyers for post-graduate study. Two of the three awards are to junior female advocates who wish to specialise in this field at the bar. The other award is to a young man who is currently excelling academically while in full-time employment with Transnet as a trainee marine pilot. These awards reflect the MLA’s commitment to promoting transformation, and rewarding academic excellence. Mentors will be appointed to each student to support their academic progress and guide them in managing the simultaneous demands of work and study.

• Zime Vilakazi is a first year advocate at the Durban Bar, who completed her pupillage under the mentorship of Jabu Thobela-Mkhulusi. Before becoming an advocate, Zime worked for Transnet for twelve years, the last eight of which she served as a ship to shore crane operator at the Durban Port (during that period the only black female to do so at pier 1). She impressed her male colleagues and bosses alike with her 100% track record over all eight years.

• Francette Gouws has practised as an advocate for four years and has already completed the coursework part of her LLM. Her dissertation topic concerns the constitutionality of the associated ship provisions in the Admiralty Act. Francette is an avid marathon runner with a personal best marathon time of 3:01:50 hours. She has a stellar academic record, both at school (8 distinctions in matric) and at the University of Pretoria (a total of 17 distinctions).

• Mahanyele Munyai is a Junior Marine Pilot employed by Transnet, where he has worked since 2012. Previously a tug master, Mahanyele commenced his training as a pilot in 2022. Mahanyele obtained his LLB part-time while working and has successfully completed the first year of his LLM, impressing his lecturers with his enthusiasm and academic ability.

The Trust and the MLA express their gratitude to all those who contributed so generously to this scholarship fund, in the memory of our own Steven Wallace.