INTRODUCTIONS:

Mandi Mudarikwa: I was born and raised in Zimbabwe; I came to South Africa in 2004 and enrolled at the University of Cape Town (UCT) for an LLB. After graduation I stayed at UCT and completed an LLM specialising in Human Rights Law. I joined the LRC as a candidate attorney (CA) in January 2009.

Lisa Draga: I completed my LLB at the University of the Western Cape in 2006 and obtained my LLM in Alternative Dispute Resolution at the University of Missouri, Columbia in the United States in 2007. I spent six months at a commercial law firm but, being unable to drown out the call to constitutional law, I joined the LRC in November 2008.

Wilmien Wicomb: Before turning to law, I did a Bachelors in Drama and an Honours and Masters in Philosophy, all from the University of Stellenbosch. I completed my LLB through UNISA, and then did an LLM in African Human Rights and Democratization at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria. I joined the LRC in January 2009.

WHAT WHERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS BEFORE COMING TO THE LRC?

Mandi: I thought I would be working in a very formal environment where lawyers are in court everyday fighting against violations of human rights, and that I would only be responsible for staying at the office, organising the files, and making phone calls.

Lisa: I simply figured that I would be joining the public interest action heroes club and saving the world one small human rights rescue at a time!

Wilmien: I assumed that I would be left to do ‘behind the scenes' stuff and just peep from the wings through the curtains at the real people strutting their stuff on the big stage (excuse the theatrics).

MOST MEMORABLE LRC MOMENTS?

Mandi: Listening to our clients living at the Bluewaters safety site talking about how they were attacked during the xenophobic attacks of May 2008. Meeting the people who make the LRC what it is, such as Georgo Bizos. And of course the painful and humbling pagination of court files.

Lisa: Having lunch with George Bizos and listening as he conveyed stories of his disaster diverted boat adventure to Africa. Also, the day we delivered and deciphered the Joe Slovo Constitutional Court judgment to the Joe Slovo community. I felt an immense sense of sadness and sympathy towards this community and their apparent fate. However, I left feeling uplifted and invigorated after witnessing over a thousand community members, in unanimous ululating, prayer and song displaying the utmost gratitude towards their LRC attorney. I will also always treasure the memory of the time I spent a weekend working to secure the release of a young Zimbabwean single mother who had been separated from her four year old son and held in unlawful detention for days at the Cape Town police station. She was released and reunited with her son that very Monday morning.

Wilmien: Not pitching up for my first day of work. Seriously.

MOST CHALLENGING PART OF WORKING AT THE LRC?

Mandi: For most of our clients English is not their first language so one of their major fears when you consult with them is that you will misunderstand them and fail to assist them properly. Being impatient, I had the most frustrating and challenging days because I would not understand the problem.

Lisa: The realisation that regardless of how much you might want to, you cannot assist every person who walks through the door. But you can try...

Wilmien: Trying to divide one's time between everyone who wants a minute (or an hour, or a week). Also, explaining to clients that law is not always the appropriate tool to solve all problems.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN LRC CA?

Mandi: Being a CA means your time is really not yours, if your supervisor wants you to be at a refugee camp on a Saturday morning that's where you will be. It also means a lot of hard work, dedication, confidence and sacrifice, but this is what makes being a CA at the LRC very exceptional and enjoyable.

Lisa: Endless hours of slavery and enormous amount of patience and endurance. Seriously, it is everything from attending portfolio committee meetings in parliament, lecturing on communal land rights, or engaging with senior advocates...and having them listen! It is both a privilege and a unique experience which you cannot obtain from completing your clerkship at any other organisation or firm in the country!

Wilmien: It means, quite frankly, not having Sunday late afternoon blues about the beginning of a new working week, partly because the LRC probably made the weekend feel like just another part of the week, but mostly because the work is endlessly challenging, interesting and satisfying.

WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS MET?

Mandi: I have learnt that litigation is an important part of the promotion of human rights but that sometimes a phone call or a letter can be just as effective. I have also learnt, to my delight, that our supervisors take our jobs as CA's seriously! They take us with them to important meetings, to court hearings, send us to workshops alone and most of all expect us to help with the drafting of pleadings!

Lisa: To infinity and beyond!

Wilmien: On the contrary; far from always being back stage, I sometimes find myself pushed into a little cameo.