Stellenbosch University (SU) alumnus Yanga Keva’s story has been shaped by a pursuit of knowledge, a willingness to learn from mistakes, and the courage to embrace all opportunities for growth.

Yanga’s academic journey at SU included a Bachelor of Theology degree followed by an LLB degree. This unusual combination has been foundational in shaping how he approaches life and his legal career.

“Rather serendipitously, undertaking theological studies ahead of law proved to be a great propeller for my career,” he explains.

“Theology taught me how to think abstractly and philosophically, while law taught me how to reason and persuade.”

During his time at Maties, Yanga immersed himself in student leadership, joining more than 30 student committees and task teams. His roles included serving as a mentor, Head Mentor, and House Committee member in the Olympus commuter student community, Chairperson of the SU Societies Council, Secretary of the Prim Committee, Chief Electoral Officer and Chairperson of the Students’ Electoral Commission, and Disciplinary Appeal Committee member of the University’s Central Disciplinary Committee. 

“Student leadership was one of the most rewarding experiences I had at SU. It shaped my work ethic, perseverance, confidence and interpersonal skills, while giving me a better appreciation of my strengths and limitations.”

In his second year, he received the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence from the Faculty of Theology. “When I first arrived at SU, my friends gave me ‘the talk’: ‘you are here for one purpose – to get your paper’. I pursued that philosophy vigorously, and I was rewarded for my hard work.”

One of the defining highlights of Yanga’s student years was being part of the winning team in the 31st Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court Competition. As someone who experiences severe anxiety when speaking in public, it pushed him beyond his comfort zone.

The finals brought together students from different universities and language backgrounds. They had only six hours to prepare closing arguments.

“We had to use Google Translate for basic communications while trying to formulate sophisticated legal arguments in several languages. It taught me adaptability, collaboration, and to remain positive when the chips are down.” 

After graduating, he was employed at a global law firm. “I gained invaluable experience with disputes on an international and cross-border scale.” 

In 2025, he joined one of Africa’s leading law firms, Bowmans, where he works as a commercial dispute resolution practitioner. 

“The work is intellectually stimulating because I grapple with commercial principles and industries that I’m often unfamiliar with. Each day brings a new puzzle to solve and opportunities to learn from leading industry professionals globally.”

Earlier this year, Yanga was admitted as an Attorney to the High Court of South Africa. “Everything I worked hard for during my six years at SU and two years of articles led to that moment,” he says. “I cannot think of a better way to mark all that hard work than with an oath to contribute meaningfully to society.”

Yanga is currently pursuing an LLM at the University of Pretoria and says balancing work and studies has been difficult but rewarding.

One of his biggest learning curves has been learning to be more forgiving of his own missteps. “The moment you stop making mistakes, you are no longer being developmentally challenged. I had to learn to turn each misstep into a lesson and to focus more on solutions than a problem’s genesis.”

As South Africa marks Youth Month, Yanga reflects on the sacrifices of the youth of 1976 and what their legacy asks of youth today. “The heroes of 1976 didn’t set out to be martyrs. They simply wanted to be treated with dignity, live without want, and have a prosperous life.

“When political movements had been banned, school children reignited the struggle for our freedom. Their sacrifice remains a powerful reminder that young people can be a tsunami of change.” 

His advice to students and recent graduates is simple: “Be adventurous with your passions, be unyielding with your community involvement, and never compromise on your belief that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to.”