Putting the law to paper
With a love of reading, it is no surprise that Keneilwe Mabapa took her love of books even further by writing one of her own.
POLOKWANE – Keneilwe (50) is a qualified attorney and acquired her first bachelor of law (BJuris) from Unisa in 1990, which was later converted to a Legum Baccaleurs (LLB). In 2013 she obtained a masters in management and development law at the University of Limpopo.
In 1999 she took up the position as the first Head of the Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in Polokwane but had to resign to complete her articles and gain admission as an attorney.
Being an attorney, she believes, played a vital role in her becoming an author. “Without the legal knowledge, writing the book would never have been possible. It was the writing ability that helped me to condense a total of 18 laws and 46 real court cases into one practical, easy to read book, which can be read and understood by everyone,” she explained.
“I have always had a love for reading and hoped to write a book someday. What finally prompted her to write a book was when she realised many people are not aware of the law, or its implications, with regard to making marriage commitments based on incorrect information which would have devastating consequences.
“After talking with several people, discussing the topic, and doing research into the subject, I put pen to paper to write Before, During and After the Wedding. When I first started out I decided what to write, and created a time management and research schedule. My first book, however, decided it had its own schedule and all these plans I had in place almost never panned out. What was supposed to be a 30 page e-book turned into a 236 page book. I am finding that the same thing is happening with the books I am writing now,” she laughed.
“Being both an attorney and an author gives me a platform to communicate and give advice to people who may not otherwise have access to an attorney, for instance, reading the book gives one all the information they need to know about the legal implications of marriage. It is like having an attorney in one’s pocket,” she concluded.
