High Profile for UKZN Academics at Law Teachers Conference

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Academics from the School of Law were among top legal research experts who attended the 2014 Society of Law Teachers of Southern Africa (SLTSA) Conference hosted by the University of Witwatersrand. This Conference is held every 18 months and is attended by legal academics from all universities in Southern Africa.

The Conference gives South African legal education specialists access to presentations by both emerging and established law academics and also provides an opportunity to exchange ideas and research findings on all aspects of the law. UKZN was again well represented at the Conference.

A paper by colleague Ms Willene Holness titled: “Unfit mothers: the Need for Law reform to Address the Removal of Children from Parents with Intellectual Disabilities in SA” won the First Presenters’ Prize awarded annually to a law teacher presenting at the Conference for the first time. The competition in 2014 was exceptionally strong and the School is particularly proud of her achievement.

Advocate Devina Perumal delivered a presentation titled: “Keeping Women in their Place: The Legal Non-Recognition of Hindu Religious Marriages and the Promise of Gender Equality in South African Law”. The paper was based on a literature review of the phenomenon of child removal from parents with intellectual disabilities following allegations of neglect. After hearing her presentation, the editors of one of the most prestigious legal journals in the country awarded her the opportunity to publish her paper in their forthcoming edition.

Environmental Law specialist, Professor Michael Kidd’s paper was titled: “Authorisations in Environmental Law and Transformation”, while Ms Rani Pillay delivered a presentation on “The Right of Donor-Conceived Children to Information Concerning the Nature of their Conception”.

Law Lecturer Ms Franaaz Khan presented a paper titled: “The Constitutional Court ruling in the case of Head of Department, Department of Education, Free State Province v Welkom High School; Head of Department, Department of Education, Free State Province v Harmony High School 2013 BCLR 989 (CC)”.  The paper dealt with the Constitutional Court decision in July 2013 of Welkom and Harmony high schools in the Free State. Khan said attending the Conference had been an informative and enlightening experience.

‘I discussed and analysed the case and the court’s decision to remove the two pregnant learners from these respective schools. The Conference was a success and I learnt a lot from the other research that was presented.’

UKZN’s Centre for Socio-Legal Studies Chairperson Professor David McQuoid-Mason and Mr Eben van der Merwe presented a paper on: “The Four Year/ Five Year LLB Debate, Entry to the Legal Profession and Community Service”. Their paper addressed the dilemma currently under discussion in the profession.

-          Thandiwe Jumo