WINDHOEK – The Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, says the reason he studied law was because he is passionate about the profession.
Shifeta was admitted as a full time legal practitioner by High Court Judge Shafimana Ueitele last Friday after he completed a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree with the University of South Africa (Unisa).
He said while studying at Unisa he did not have to take leave, as most of his studying he did in the evenings after work.
He will continue being a deputy minister, while practising part-time on a pro bono basis.
He only took leave while enrolled at the University of Namibia’s Justice Training Centre. “Luckily I had enough leave days, I had like 100 days,” he added.
Shifeta says studying law was not easy. “You need to read a lot. Luckily for me I don’t sleep more than four hours,” he said.
He says completing his LLB degree can serve as motivation for other young people “to show that you can do both, work and study”.
He noted students often complain the study work is too much but most do not do anything else apart from studying.
He encouraged the youth to study hard, saying they need to study not because they want more money or a better job, but because they have a passion for something.
The government “pumps so much money into education but the output is less,” he noted.
He said rural schools perform better than urban schools possibly because of the distractions in urban areas and not because of a lack of facilities.
Shifeta said he chose to work with defence lawyer Bradley Basson because he knew him as one of the good lawyers around.
“I have so much respect for him, and learned a lot from him, as well and my colleagues at the firm,” he said.
By Tunomukwathi Asino