My name is Amukelani Mhlanga, a LLB graduate that was a part of the SAGDA internship for 2023/2024. I completed my LLB degree in 2022 and I tried to look for employment with no luck. I then came across the internship that was advertised by SAGDA through social media and I applied, I went through all the selection process and luckily got accepted to start my internship on the 4th of April 2023 at Mkhize attorneys.

I will forever be grateful for this opportunity because this was my first formal employment and it led me to greater heights as the company that I was working in during my internship has absorbed me when my internship contract ended. I am now a full-time candidate attorney at Mkhize attorneys.

This experience has been a roller coaster because I had a fair share of highs and lows in the workplace, at some point I struggled with the workload and adjusting to the working environment to an extent that my host had to call an intervention meeting with SAGDA to let them know that I was not performing to my best ability. I took all the advice that were given to me at that intervention as a learning curve and constructive criticism, I pulled up my socks and started producing quality work, at some point I even got an opportunity to fly to Cape town on a work trip to represent my employer. This led to my permanent employment offer, that really changed my life because unemployment rate in South Africa is very high especially for graduates.

I would like to thank the SAGDA team for always being present and cooperative when working with graduates, and may they continue helping the youth because there are thousands of young people who are like me who need such opportunities to change their lives.