‘We all have career aspirations, and I hope this opens doors to higher-level positions within UKZN or new opportunities at different companies,’ said Legal Advisor at Legal Services, Ms Adéle Van Heerden who graduated with an LLM in Business Law cum laude.
Van Heerden, who received her Bachelor of Laws in 2004, said studying again after so long was challenging but rewarding: ‘This degree has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone as wearing the student hat again was incredibly daunting, having to find a balance between employee, student, wife and mom. The one advantage I had that I felt made things a bit easier was my work experience and background in practicing law. I believe that this degree has enhanced my general knowledge set and critical thinking, which a master’s course is targeted to do.’
South Africa’s Participation in the Multilateral Trade System: A Case Study of the Anti-Dumping Duties Imposed on Frozen Fries by the International Trade Administration Commission in South Africa was the title of Van Heerden’s study that was supervised by Dr Clydenia Stevens. It focused on international trade law and evaluated South Africa’s participation in the multilateral trade system with a case study of the anti-dumping duties imposed on frozen fries by the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) in South Africa.
‘What inspired this topic was that, as a mom, I struggled to find frozen chips in the supermarkets for my children. Local media reported the various factors that contributed to this shortage that aligned with my interest in international trade law. The study challenges the ITAC’s investigations on dumping and their generic findings that do not consider the impact on local consumers. Our government adopts legislation and signs treaties that are supposed to be in the best interests of citizens; however, often their application is to the detriment of the consumer and our economy.’
Words: Thandiwe Jumo
Photograph: Sethu Dlamini