Meet Lubelo Scott, a lawyer who grew up in prison and is now breaking barriers in court halls

News24

a day ago

He is determined to walk in his mother's shoes and even do greater things. Lubelo's mother, Nomonde Scott made South African history in 1983 when she became the Western Cape's first black prosecutor. However, her trailblazing legal career took an unexpected turn when she was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to prison.
After her release, Nomonde earned an LLB degree while on parole and later pursued an LLM degree in environmental law at University of the Western Cape (UWC), and she dedicated her life to fighting crime and improving community-police relations. She worked with the Safer South Africa Foundation, where she was the Western Cape co-ordinator, working in schools to educate pupils on crime and even published an autobiography titled 'Look Before You Leap,' to share her life story and discourage others from making similar mistakes.
Nomonde was blessed with three children - two sons and one daughter namely, Beviwe Scott who was the eldest but passed away, Ntumeko Scott, her daughter who is a pilot, and Lubelo Scott, her son who is the last born and a lawyer.
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Nomonde Scott passed away on August 24, 2024, at the age of 64, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to justice and community service. Her son, Lubelo Scott has shaped his own perspective and informed his own path and made decisions that have ultimately led him to follow in his mother's footsteps in the pursuit of Law at University of the Western Cape.
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Lubelo Scott's childhood had challenges as he grew up in prison and from there went to live in Gugulethu - Cape Town where he had his upbringing until they eventually moved to Gordon's Bay as his mom's life advanced.
In an interview with DRUM, Lubelo shared how life has been since the passing of his mother.
'I'd say I'm coping fairly well despite losing my pillar of strength and anchor. I would describe my head space as very confused and still trying to piece life together, because I had recently lost a very important figure in my life who happens to be my mom, the author of 'Look Before You Leap'. It was unforeseen, and it hit my boat in a way that I had never imagined, because in most cases, when someone is as reliable and full of life as my mother was, you don't expect them to soon just pass away.'
Lubelo added that his mother was full of life and always dedicated herself to inspiring kids.
'She was a person that was always bubbly and always dedicated in whatever she did and turned whatever she touched into gold, she was very good with kids too. So, my headspace is full of severe confusion and just not knowing where I am headed. Due to her passing, I find myself having so much burden now as I have been put in a place where I have so many responsibilities and duties that I have to fulfil which I never thought of at this early stage in my life as she was always there providing guidance. But, as I thread along, I try my utmost best, because my best is all I can give for now.'
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Lubelo reflects on his childhood experiences, noting that his upbringing in prison often led to misconceptions and a stigma from his peers and people in general. As he navigated primary and high school, he encountered people who viewed him differently once they learned about his background to an extent that some would associate his emotional expressions or behaviours with his prison upbringing, implying that he was prone to delinquency or rebelliousness, but he chose not to let these perceptions define him or dictate his path.
'Growing up as a kid, and obviously being in primary and high school, I think that's when I mostly felt, the judgments from peers, where some of them wanted nothing associating themselves with me mainly because of the fact that I was raised in prison. But that, for me, was never an issue because all it did for me was give me resilience and determination to prove everyone wrong. Due to that I always excelled in whatever I did as I used my rage from everything thrown at me to fuel my dedication in studies and rugby that I was playing.
Everything at the end benefited me greatly, rather than negatively impacting my life, as I got a scholarship to go study at one of the prestigious schools in Cape Town, the Bishops Diocesan College because of my rugby skills which ultimately landed me a chance to play for the Western Province rugby team because, I didn't take and run away with what naysayers said about me, instead, I took and used their words as motivation to benefit me for the better and it did. Sometimes some people when I expressed human emotions would affiliate that with my prison upbringing to motivate their negative thinking as if I was a rebellious kid, but I never let that get to me,' he said.
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Lubelo says he chose to study Law to follow on his role model's footsteps which is his mother, her being the very first black female prosecutor in the whole of Western Cape at a time where apartheid and many other forces were dominant was the inspiration he drew from his mother.
'My mother's legacy, her being the first African female prosecutor in the Western Cape, that played a major role in me making that decision. Moreover, my mother was always in legal spaces, and a lot of lawyers would come to our house, the likes of Tembeka Ngcukaitobi who also is my role model, and we would just sit and chat at home and that's where I grew very fond of Law and decided to pursue a career in the field.'
' At times my mom and I would watch documentaries and just try and solve those cases together at home. But more than anything I pursued Law because I myself have great appreciation of Law as I wanted to make a difference and bring justice to those who have faced injustice,' he mentioned.
Lubelo further mentioned that him and his older sister, Ntumeko Scott are under the process of establishing a foundation under their mom's name which will be named 'Nomonde Scott foundation,' but he also has dreams and future aspirations of his own which are to start his own Law firm and bring change to the world.
Lubelo concluded by sending a message of hope to anyone who feels like they've tried their utmost best in life, but all hope seems lost.
'Life is about positive choices to make and not choices to take. Remain determined, I know that it's a cliché, and a lot of people have said this before me and a lot will say it after me, but for me, that is what has kept me going, being determined, stick to the plan and don't derail in it. Also, carry with you the morals and values that have been instilled in you, respect is important in life. God is for us all and He sees us all, so if you have a dream, chase it, and lastly don't live up to anyone's expectations of you, be your own writer and narrator of your own story.'