Attorney at Law
An admitted attorney of the High Court, a Human Rights Lawyer, a Human Rights activist and a lecturer. Lebeko Stanley Malematja, born in the dusty Villages of Modjadji, Mokwasele Village,. “Stanley is what you call a colonial name, my African name being Lebeko, both which I was named after my late grandfather”. Lebeko was born on the 8th of December, 1991.
Childhood
Two girls and two boys, Lebeko is the first of the five children in his family. later on his family moved to Mohlakamosoma until his father decided they move to Gauteng to search for greener pastures. From moving from one township to another in Gauteng until eventually him and his brother were moved back to Bolobedu, where he proceeded his high school at Modubatse High School. “I got to meet some of my friends who are well educated as well. Our squat is made of qualified individuals, from Medical doctors, a Mechanical engineer who holds a Masters and one of the best car sales executives”. Lebeko’s parents later on divorced but Lebeko is still very much in touch with his father. “I draw most of my strength from my late grandfather, he was a “fundi” a learned individual, I draw a lot of inspiration from him and from my mother as well. My dad would come and disappear, like most black fathers do.”
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Varsity Life
Lebeko faced most of his varsity without a father and had to fend for himself as his father was absent right after he was enrolled at the University of Johannesburg.
All wasn’t as glamorous as they are now, Lebeko took a gap year after passing his matric, because he couldn’t go to varsity immediately after that. “2011 I hit rock bottom there, I used to go around trying to find a job while I was at this other college enrolled in Electric engineering but I knew I didn’t enjoy what I was doing. I used to walk into Balfour Park Mall, trying to get a job because my mom couldn’t pay for the fees, I could see the stress on her face.
The day that I left that college I immediately went to UJ and collected application forms and sat at McDonalds and after filling them I immediately submitted.” The first job Lebeko had was to clean at a music video set for the Parlatones, a South African rock band, where he worked from 06:00 TO 19:00. “One of the shooting crews, a black brother pulled me to the side and gave me R150, a guess a black man’s downfall, the forefront is another black man, may God bless those guys.” Expressed Lebeko with deep gratitude. Lebeko enrolled with the University of Johannesburg and finish his LLB in 4 years, record time, where he also met his fiancé. “I didn’t have a solid plan before I finished my degree.”
Career Man
Malematja served his articles at the University of Pretoria at the center for child law, after sending multiple applications. He served his articles of clerkship for 2 and half year after the gave him a 6 months grace period to give him time to find a job and to also be admitted as an attorney.
Malematja wrote his Board exams and passed, he eventually existed as an admitted attorney. “I like nice things, but I also prefer working for them…I don’t like being a charity case.” Malematja made his name after he applied for Rights to Protest project at the Witswatersrand University. He was the only attorney in South Africa focusing on protest laws the Right to Protest.
Malematja specialized in bail applications for protester and he has never lost a case, “I have done Phalaborwa, Gauteng, Cape Town, almost everywhere but I haven’t done home though, the likes of Tzaneen and Kgapane”. Malematja has been on media, including on radio interviews, newspapers, enca, and newsroom as well. He is also in a reality TV show called Abazali, as a specialist on Child Law in the show.
“I got an interview from the Constitutional Court, the highest Court in the land, an interview with Justice Theron, then I had to make a choice, I sent an email and told them I am going to join the Right to Protest at Wits University”. He is also a lecturer at the School of Law after standing for his colleague, the student at the school requested for him be their lecturer.
Malematja holds 3 different law qualifications, LLB (University of Johannesburg), LLM (University of Pretoria) and Post Graduates Diploma in Human Rights Advocacy and strategic litigation from the University of the Witswatersrand. Malematja teaches both part-time and full time students, where it all started from volunteering. He is a member of the Right to Know Campaign, helped establish South African Human Right Defenders Network Fund and A Sina Loyipho organizations. “I got a call while I was in court from my former Principal from the Center for Child Law in the University of Pretoria and she asked me if I could come back to the center as an attorney, it was a difficult choice and had to make a decision and I went back to the center in 2021”.
Malematja finally got the right to appear in the High Court. He is currently part of the UN (United Nations) advisory board on policing protest where children are participants, “My expertise of Protest Law and Child Law have merged and given me this platform where I sit in a meeting with only professors, it made me want to align my things and go for the PhD as well.”
“I have been with my fiancé since varsity days as we both studied law, we have been together for 10 years now and it has contributed a lot in my career.” Malematja’s fiancé and mother at first had a hard time to adjust to his busy schedule but to his luck, they have both been supportive and understanding in his career.
Lebeko Stanley Malematja is one man who has shown his selflessness throughout his careers, a vibrant, young champion of the people, Mayweather of law and what he personally likes to call himself, a celebrity lawyer. A legend in the making yet to unleash his potential into the world.