Pretoria, South Africa: There are moments when the work we do speaks back to us, reminding us why we began in the first place. The recent Aviation, Aerospace and Maritime Career Expo at the Bojanala Airfield in Rustenburg was one of those moments. For five days we stood face-to-face with young people who rarely encounter the aviation world beyond a television screen, and we witnessed just how powerful access can be.
From the onset, the energy was unmistakable. Learners from schools across Rustenburg arrived wide-eyed, curious, and hungry to understand what aviation, maritime studies, and space sciences could offer them. For many, stepping onto the airfield was their first tangible encounter with the industry. And that is exactly why Flying Jurist made sure to be there.
Why Flying Jurist Showed Up
Flying Jurist has always believed that aviation cannot transform if it remains centred in major cities and elite enclaves. Real transformation requires taking the industry to communities who have historically been left outside of it. Rustenburg became a reminder of this truth.
Our mission at the expo was simple: open the horizon wider, demystify the pathways, and show young people that this industry is theirs too. But we did not stand alone. UNISA, through its College of Law and the Aviation Law Working Group, played a crucial role in making that message real.
Academia as a Transformative Force
UNISA’s presence at the expo was a powerful demonstration of what academia can achieve when it steps into community spaces with purpose.
At the UNISA exhibition stand, colleagues engaged learners with genuine warmth and patience, walking them through the academic pathways available within the university. Many learners were shocked to discover that aviation law, maritime law, environmental law and space governance are actual fields of study, open to them through a public institution committed to access.
One of the highlights was the session led by Adv Konanani Raligilia, a key member of the Aviation Law Working Group. Adv Raligilia delivered a grounded, relatable talk to the learners about what aviation law is, why it matters, and how they could prepare for careers in this rapidly expanding field. He spoke to them about research skills, global opportunities, regulatory careers, and the way law underpins everything from drone operations to airline safety to space governance.
Many learners lingered long after his talk, asking questions that revealed both curiosity and a hunger to belong in this world.
This is the kind of academic outreach our country needs more of. Research, knowledge production, and scholarly leadership cannot stay within university walls. They must travel to where young people already are.
The Power of Partnerships
What made the Rustenburg Expo truly impactful was the collective presence of a range of institutions that rarely share the same room in rural South Africa.
Stakeholders included:
This ecosystem of state institutions, educators, scientists and regulators created a rare moment of visibility for sectors that usually sit far from rural life.
Transformation Is Not an Idea, It Is a Responsibility
South Africa’s Constitution demands that opportunity be broadened, access expanded, and historical imbalances confronted head-on. Aviation, perhaps more than most sectors, requires deliberate intervention if it is to reflect the nation it serves.
Transformative work requires showing up. It requires engaging communities, not expecting communities to come to us. Rustenburg reminded us that if we do not take aviation to small towns, we cannot expect small-town learners to find their way into aviation.
The same is true for gender. ICAO continues to push toward gender parity in the global aviation workforce, and South Africa cannot meet that goal if young women in rural communities never meet female pilots, engineers, lawyers or air-traffic controllers. At Rustenburg we met many young girls who listened with intent, taking in every detail. Their interest was not accidental; it was sparked by exposure.
Rustenburg Was a Beginning, Not a Box Ticked
The Flying Jurist team left Rustenburg with renewed purpose. The learners we met deserve more than a once-off outreach event. They deserve a continuous presence of state institutions like SANSA and the SAAF, of academic bodies like UNISA, and of industry partners who understand the deep link between access and transformation.
If we want an aviation sector that reflects the full breadth of South African talent, we must continue to go where that talent lives, learns and dreams.
Rustenburg was not an event. It was a message. A message that the sky belongs to everyone. And Flying Jurist will continue working to make that a lived reality.
Prof Angelo Dube is a Professor of International Law, Acting Director of the School of Law at UNISA, and Chief Executive Officer at Flying Jurist, and founder of the Aviation Indaba. He writes here in his personal capacity.
