About Eric
"I come from a very poor background where education is the only hope to survive; a village where graduates are very scarce. My parents never went to school and were domestic workers.
I did my first year of my MBCHB in Pretoria in 1998, but due to financial difficulties, I had to relocate to Pietermaritzburg. I remember in 1999, I was supposed to return to Pretoria to do my second year in Medicine, but my mom could not even raise money for a bus fee, and I still owed tuition fees for the previous academic year. I could not return, and I had to settle in Pietermaritzburg and start all over again.
I eventually started my MBCHB at the UKZN Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine in 2000 because I had a government bursary, and I completed my degree in 2005. After completing my internship and community service, I decided to do my MMed in Psychiatry. In the middle of my studies, I became ill and could not finish my psychiatry exams.
I got married and had two children. Life became difficult, and I had to resign from where I was employed as a Psychiatry Medical Officer for more than five years. I then decided to open my own GP private practice in March 2017.
I registered for an LLB with Unisa and graduated in June 2026."
On enrolling at the Gawie le Roux Institute of Law
"My intention is to write the board exams and become an admitted attorney one day. Doing PVT is one of the admission requirements.
I was looking for one of the best law schools, and most reviews recommended the GLR law school. I was not disappointed because the professionalism that I found was overwhelming; we were treated like kings and queens.
The standard of teaching and professionalism was incomparable with regard to selflessness, dedication, and the culture of teaching and learning. We never had a lecture cancelled or postponed throughout the course of our 400-hour programme."
400-hour vs 150-hour PVT programme of structured course work
"From day one of starting my legal journey, my wish was to do medical law. The 400-hour PVT programme will assist me in potentially reducing my articles to one year, and I will now be able to grasp most of the concepts that will assist me in writing the board exams."
"I wanted to acquire as much knowledge as possible. I know it will come in handy in my future legal career."
"Throughout my tertiary education, I have never come across lecturers who are so humble, enthusiastic, and still eager to teach and learn. This is what we used to call 'the spirit of teaching and learning', which has disintegrated and faded over the years.
We were treated and pampered with the best of the best in South Africa, regardless of their level of education, gender, race, or age."
The mock trial
"This reminded me of my court days, but I would be there as an expert witness during a trial. This time was different. I was in the firing line. You feel the real pressure; all eyes are on you. Your language, reasoning, and emotions are under scrutiny."
"Thanks to my learned friends and colleagues, some realised that I was not familiar with court proceedings, and they were very gentle and kind to me."
"A couple of them knew that I was a medical doctor because they asked me, but the rest did not know and had no mercy on me.
It was an anxious week, but because I always knew that we were all students, I was ready to learn and conquer my fears."
Eric's tips for PVT students
- "Sort out your law school finances as early as you can. Do not wait until the last minute because you will miss out on the benefits, like discounts.
- Attend all lectures live if you can. That will make life easier for you because you will be able to do your assignments on time, and you will not miss any deadlines.
- Make sure that your device is up to date. You should have convenient and reliable Wi-Fi, and you should be using reliable Windows.
- Put equal effort and desire into the programme as you have throughout your LLB. Respect your lecturers, be punctual, and read your notes regularly.
- Be as original as possible. Your work must be authentic. Do not copy and paste or commit plagiarism.
- Teach yourself self-discipline and good ethical behaviour early. This will assist you in your legal career.
- Communicate with your lecturers regularly. Do not wait for a last-minute disaster to happen before you email the course coordinators.
- Watch out for courses that require your real-time participation, like Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure. They are physically and emotionally draining, especially if you do not have a strong legal background like me.
- Do not rely on excuses. Be professional and considerate of others. You have paid too much money to waste on excuses that lead to missed assignment deadlines."
On facing challenges
"It is always a struggle to balance work and studies. In a private practice, you only make money by being at work, i.e. no work, no pay. The sacrifice of losing money and achieving your dream is always a tricky challenge and a harsh pill to swallow.
Taking away some of the family time and giving it to your studies is also a tough battle.
I started this journey alone. I don’t have a study partner; I do my own research and have to trust the system. It became clear that I was isolated when we had to participate in discussions in our small groups during the Criminal and Civil Procedure lectures. Some of my learned friends and colleagues are candidate attorneys and already have some court experience. I'm not with a law firm yet, and I am still battling with most legal terms. Most of my learned friends and colleagues were fluent and amazing during the group discussion."
Eric's recommended reading for legal practitioners
"I am old school. I kept on referring to my Criminal and Civil Procedure textbooks, as I found them to be very relevant and useful. The lecturers' notes were more than enough.
Uniform Rules and Criminal Procedure Acts were my main point of reference during trying times."
What's next?
"My wish is to do my LLM in Medical Law.
In my GP practice, I have witnessed the devastating consequences of medical negligence and malpractice. It is painful and heartbreaking to encounter children with preventable physical and intellectual disabilities, including patients with cerebral palsy and autism."
"These experiences have persuaded me to pursue medical law as a means to promote accountability, ethical practice, and advocate for poor and vulnerable patients."
Last updated on 18 June 2026.