Online Reporter
Justice Maphios Cheda
THE late Advocate Samp Mlaudzi, who recently passed away in Botswana at the age of 79, was more than a towering legal mind. He was my cousin, my colleague, my mentor and my true friend.
Above all, he was a humble man, who wore many hats with quiet dignity and unwavering integrity. A few weeks ago, he was laid to rest at his rural home in Whunga Village, Beitbridge District, leaving behind a legacy few can match.
I first knew him simply as my motsoala — my cousin. His journey began in the classroom as a dedicated teacher (1965-1973), before stepping into the justice sector as a meticulous court interpreter (1974-1980). But Adv Mlaudzi was never one to stand still.
At an age when most begin to slow down, he enrolled at the University of the North (now Limpopo) in South Africa, pursuing his law degree with the energy and focus of a man half his age.
The late Advocate Samp Mlaudzi
He returned to Bulawayo, where his sharp mind and steady hand quickly earned him respect. In 1986, he registered as a legal practitioner with Lazarus & Sarif. Two years later, alongside Advocate Brassel Sigidi, he co-founded Samp Mlaudzi and Partners — one of the first black-owned law firms in Bulawayo. It was a ground-breaking achievement at the time.
I had the honour of joining him as a professional assistant, while Themba Hwalima worked under Sigidi. Together, we formed a small but formidable team. Under Adv Mlaudzi’s patient mentorship, I learned everything from drafting a demand letter to drawing up a summons — lessons that became the foundation of my own career, eventually leading me to the High
Court bench.
His support never wavered. Even after I established my own law firm and later moved to Namibia, where I stayed for seven years, he remained by my side. I recall how, after court sessions, he would approach me with his warm smile and the familiar word, “motsoala,” grounding me in our shared roots even in the solemn corridors of justice.
Justice Maphios Cheda
He was a man of humility and discipline, yet sharp and uncompromising when it came to detail. Colleagues, young and old, sought his wisdom, even in his semi-retirement. And tellingly, in a profession often clouded by scandal, Adv Mlaudzi’s record remained spotless. Not once did a complaint against him hold water. That is a rare honour today.
Sadly, the integrity that Adv Mlaudzi embodied is becoming scarce. Too many young lawyers now fall prey to greed and shortcuts, misappropriating funds, betraying clients and tarnishing the noble calling that law was meant to be. But Adv
Mlaudzi stood firm against such temptations all his life. His clean name and unshaken legacy remain a lesson every lawyer should strive to emulate.
His story echoes that of other pioneers such as the late Adv SKM Sibanda, Siansole and Senda, whose firms still stand tall after their founders are gone. Their example, like Adv Mlaudzi’s, calls us back to the pride and honour of true legal practice.
Advocate Mlaudzi showed us it is possible to serve without blemish, to retire without shame and to leave a profession stronger than you found it. The best way to honour him, is not only with words, but with the way we practise law.
Let us live so that when we meet him again, he will greet us with that same warm smile and say: “Motsoala, you did well.”
May his soul rest in eternal peace. Robala ka kgotso, motsoala.
n Justice Cheda is a retired senior Bulawayo High Court judge, who has had a very long career in the legal sector. He also worked as a High Court Judge in Namibia, where he helped the country establish an e-justice system.
Bongani Ndlovu