Gundo is hot property in law
Youngest black female conveyancer on a high
At 25, Gundo Nevhutanda has been named by the Law Society of the Northern Provinces as the youngest black female conveyancer to be admitted.
Last week the attorney gave a rousing speech at the women’s retreat cocktail dinner with businesswoman Basetsana Kumalo.
Nevhutanda spoke about women empowerment and her experience in property law as a black female.
To reach her status, Nevhutanda, joined an elite group of attorneys who specialise in the transfer of properties. Only 14% of attorneys who take qualification exams pass.
Nevhutanda, who was born in Vondwe village in Limpopo, qualified as an attorney after serving her articles in 2016.
She simultaneously studied BCom (Law) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from 2010 to 2014 at the University of Pretoria.
She is currently studying towards her master’s degree in banking law at the same university. Yesterday she spoke to Sowetan about her achievements from a her plush office at Webber Wentzel Attorneys in Sandton, Johannesburg.
She said after she was admitted into conveyancing in December, her cellphone has been ringing off the hook. “My phone was [busy] with phone calls from law firms.
“They were giving me offers for jobs because of the low admittance rates into conveyancing,” she said.
Nevhutanda was working as an attorney when she decided to take the conveyancing exams which took six months to prepare.
“I had to work all day which means that I could only study at night.
“I would get home at 6pm and start studying until 10pm, I would then go to sleep and wake up at 3am and study until 6am. Then I would prepare to go to work,” she said.
“My mother is a Grade 4 teacher and my father is an economist at the South African Reserve Bank. Education is a big deal in my family,” she said.
The young attorney said she enjoyed seeing young people purchase expensive pieces of land for development. She wished for more black people to be afforded the same opportunities.
“It’s a challenge knowing that we are still behind in owning and purchasing land,” Nevhutanda said.
She advised young women who want to get into her field to work hard and be open minded.
“You must have a thick skin and not let anyone make you feel like you don’t belong.
“You belong and you matter.”