From Mpumalanga to the High Court: Sakhile’s journey of resilience and purpose
On Monday, 27 July2026, Canon Collins Trust Alum, Sakhile reached a milestone years in the making when he was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.
On Monday, 27 July 2026, Canon Collins Trust Alum, Sakhile reached a milestone years in the making when he was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.
His admission capped a journey that began in 2019, when he boarded a bus from Mpumalanga to Cape Town with R1,800 in his pocket. He had no family waiting for him in the city and little certainty about what lay ahead.
He was travelling to the University of the Western Cape to begin his studies, determined to make the opportunity count.
“It was both a scary and exciting experience,” he recalls. “I had no family in Cape Town at the time, hence the fear. However, it was exciting because I was looking forward to the journey ahead.”
His sister was also travelling to Cape Town to study medicine at the University of Cape Town, giving him some comfort as they both left home to pursue their ambitions.
Sakhile went on to graduate his Law degree with 22 distinctions and complete his articles at an international law firm. Along the way, he faced severe financial pressure after losing initial government funding. In 2023 whilst he was at a critical point of his undergraduate degree, he also lost his grandmother, the woman who had raised him.
His admission marks the culmination of years of academic discipline, personal loss and persistence.
Support that changed his path
After losing his funding, support from the Canon Collins Trust helped Sakhile continue his studies and invest in the resources he needed to succeed.
“The CCT funding changed the trajectory of my life,” he says.
The funding enabled him to buy a laptop that supported his studies throughout university and expand his sneaker-cleaning business, giving him much-needed financial stability.
His legal career has since created opportunities that once seemed distant.
In 2022, Sakhile met Mamelodi Sundowns left-back and Bafana Bafana international Terrence Mashego through entrepreneur and mentor Tokelo Hlagala. Mashego became a mentor and brother figure who followed Sakhile’s development from university student to practising lawyer.
Sakhile now handles legal work for Mashego and his company.
“Going from watching someone on television to becoming his lawyer was a full-circle moment for me,” he says.
An admission supported by fellow alumni
The occasion also reflected the strength of the Canon Collins alumni network.
Sakhile’s admission application was moved by Advocate Banele Melaphi, a fellow Canon Collins alumnus whom he met at a Canon Collins conference in 2022. Their first meeting developed into a professional relationship that has since seen them work together on legal matters.
They recently represented a professional footballer and successfully obtained an order in favour of the Bafana Bafana star.
Sakhile was also assisted throughout the admission process by Budaza and Masifane Attorneys, the law firm co-founded by fellow Canon Collins alumnus Khutso Masifane.
The involvement of fellow alumni made his admission a shared achievement and demonstrated how relationships formed through the scholarship programme can continue into professional life.
Opening doors for others
Sakhile’s experiences have strengthened his commitment to extending opportunities to young people from his home province.
“I am a product of programmes that gave back to society,” he says. “Whether it was through someone or an organisation that funded my fencing journey, or the Canon Collins Trust investing in my journey, I would not be where I am if it were not for the people and organisations that gave towards my journey.”
Together with accountant and fellow Mpumalanga native Daisy Thwala, he co-founded Mpumalanga Sunrise Legacy. Inspired by the South African Legacy Association and its founder, Siviwe Maqutywa, the organisation currently mentors more than 35 students from across Mpumalanga.
Through mentorship, leadership development and educational support, the initiative helps young people navigate their studies and prepare for future opportunities.
Sakhile’s admission was both a personal and collective milestone. It recognised the persistence that carried him from Mpumalanga to Cape Town, the people and institutions that supported him, and the alumni relationships that helped him take the final step into the profession.
The student who arrived at university with R1,800 is now an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa. Through his legal work and community initiatives, he is helping others pursue opportunities of their own.