Cheadle Thompson & Haysom Inc

About Cheadle Thompson & Haysom

Cheadle Thompson & Haysom Inc (CTH) is a South African law firm. Three legal academics from the University of the Witwatersrand started it in 1979. The firm began as a human rights and labour practice. It has since grown into a full-service firm with offices in Rosebank, Johannesburg, and Newlands, Cape Town.

Today CTH covers more than a dozen practice areas. They include administrative and constitutional law, labour and employment law, competition law and municipal law. The firm also advises on corporate and commercial matters, communications and media law, and occupational health and safety. It is well known for acting for trade unions in collective bargaining and employment disputes.

How CTH supports students

CTH funds the Bheki Mlangeni Memorial Scholarship. The firm created it to honour Bhekisizwe Godfrey Mlangeni. Bheki joined the firm in January 1989, straight from Wits University. He was a young community activist and aspiring lawyer from a poor background. He died on 15 February 1991, when a booby-trapped cassette player exploded. The Vlakplaas unit of the apartheid police had made and sent it.

The scholarship keeps his memory alive. It also reminds students of the sacrifices that came before democracy, and it promotes progressive legal education. The firm gives the award each year to up to three final-year LLB students. They study at the University of the Witwatersrand or the University of the Western Cape.

The firm also runs a candidate attorney programme. It keeps the intake small, so each candidate gets structured training. In addition, CTH reports a strong transformation record. It says it is a B-BBEE Level 1 firm with a majority of Black directors.

What to know before applying

Published criteria for the scholarship include financial disadvantage and excellence in constitutional, labour or administrative law. The firm also looks for a clear commitment to social justice. You must be a final-year LLB student at one of the two universities. Because the award is small and competitive, prepare your application with care.

Recipients may need to do vacation work at the firm. This is a practical work period, not a long bonded service contract after admission. However, the exact terms can change, so ask the firm to confirm them in writing.

Closing dates and amounts vary by year and are not fixed. Check the official CTH website or your university's law faculty for the current call. Never pay anyone to help you apply.

For law students, the scholarship also carries real standing. CTH is respected in labour, constitutional and public law, and the Mlangeni name carries deep meaning in the profession. Applicants usually do best when they show clear evidence of community involvement and an interest in rights-based legal work, alongside strong marks.