Sannie Ncube talks about what inspires her in practising law and reveals some of her personal interests in a Question and Answer article. She is taking over the reins of the firm in March.
Which area of the law do you and your practice within LindsayKeller focus on?
I am an expert in personal injury claims. I also specialise in conveyancing, notarial work, medical negligence, and drafting and interpreting contracts.
What do you find interesting about practising this area of law?
I am passionate about personal injury claims. I started my career in this field in 1997 when I worked for the Road Accident Fund as a claims assistant. I still practise in this field as a defense attorney. My answer to the question is that I believe in fairness, and law and justice are all about fairness. As much as I defend the Road Accident Fund, I feel fulfilled when I see victims of road accidents with truly serious injuries receive fair compensation. At the same time, it’s fulfilling to be able to assist my client to discharge its statutory mandate of compensating victims and to fight and defeat every bogus claim against the Fund. I also enjoy notarial work, especially assisting clients entering into antenuptial contracts. It’s satisfying to know that young couples in love are protected financially.
Where did you grow up and what influenced you to follow a career in law?
I grew up in Musina, a small town in the far north of Limpopo province. As mentioned, fairness is key for me, so I chose to study law so that I could bring justice to the people.
What are you reading at the moment? And what are your favourite series or TV shows?
I am currently reading The Oracle: The Jubilean Mysteries Unveiled by Jonathan Cahn. My favourite TV shows are crime and detective programmes on DStv channels 170 and 171.
Who inspires you and why?
I get asked this question all the time. The last time I was asked I singled out advocate Thuli Madonsela for the simple reason that acting ethically is key to being successful in both business and law. But as I am maturing, I would like to honour each and every woman out there, especially single mothers. I have seen women from all walks of life, educated or uneducated, taking charge. Women are very strong and are able to deal with any situation that may arise, be it raising and educating their children or managing big companies. When women are in the driving seat, they get things done with ease. This is why I salute women.
What makes you proud to be South African? What do you enjoy about working and living in South Africa?
South Africa is still a very young and fragile democracy and a lot has to be done to address the injustices of the past and the mistrust that still exists between people from all racial groups. Having said that, one cannot deny that South Africa is a very beautiful country to live and work in. I love working here because we have good labour laws. The rights of the workforce are protected and to me that’s justice at its best.
You work with a number of young attorneys in your firm. What do they bring to LindsayKeller?
The young people in our firm are vibrant – they keep the firm current and relevant. As a firm, we need to be able to move with the times and be flexible, so we need to welcome young people into our fold. At the same time, we have to mould them in order to maintain our reputation as the best litigation firm in the country, rendering good service to our clients with integrity.