The Zimbabwean delegate during their visit to the UKZN Law School.Zimbabwe Law Lecturers visit UKZN
Six Law lecturers from the Midlands University, the Great Zimbabwe University and the Africa University in Zimbabwe were hosted at UKZN by the Director of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies on the Howard College campus, Professor David McQuoid-Mason.
The lecturers were on a knowledge exchange visit to learn about the academic and community service components of the LLB Clinical Law and Street Law programmes at UKZN as well as the services provided by Legal Aid South Africa.
In Pinetown and Durban the delegates - accompanied by McQuoid-Mason - visited the Pinetown KwaZulu-Natal Regional Legal Aid South Africa Office and the Office of the Durban Justice Centre.
The remainder of their Durban visit was spent on the Howard College campus where they held discussions on the Street Law course with McQuoid-Mason and the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Street Law Co-ordinator, Ms Phumzile Xulu, followed by joining a Street Law class conducted by Lecturer, Ms Janine Hicks, and Xulu.
They then met supervising Attorneys at the UKZN Durban based Law Clinic, Mr Eben van der Merwe and Mr Rishen Badul Singh to discuss the academic and service components of the Clinical Law course. They also had the benefit of a feedback session with candidate attorneys serving their articles in the clinic.
McQuoid-Mason then took the delegates to Pietermaritzburg where they held discussions with UKZN’s Law Clinic Director Ms Chantel Badul, a Candidate Attorney and a student volunteer. They discussed the academic and service elements of the Clinical Law course at the Pietermaritzburg branch of the UKZN Law School and were given an outline of the course.
They enjoyed a light lunch hosted by the Academic Leader of the Pietermaritzburg Law School branch, Professor Ann Skelton, and interacted with the Pietermaritzburg Law School staff.
The day ended with a visit to the Centre for Community Justice and Development (CCJD) in Pietermaritzburg – a paralegal NGO that has its roots in, and is still associated with, the Pietermaritzburg Law School.
The Herbert Chitepo Law School at Great Zimbabwe University is keen to enter into a co-operation agreement with the UKZN School of Law – particularly in respect of developing its Clinical Law and Street Law programmes.
Words by: UKZNDabaOnline