On Wednesday, March 16, we visited The Centre for Child Law at the University of Pretoria. The representative from the centre told us about the most recent cases the centre has been involved with. Recently, the Constitutional Court decided in favor of the Centre for Child Law and held that minimum sentencing requirements did not…
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It is truly amazing to see what wonderful things can be achieved when a few people are able to get together to affect change and be of service to those less fortunate than themselves. Cotlands is evidence of this change and service being possible. Cotlands currently operates as an orphanage for abused and neglected children,…
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The group was given the opportunity to visit the High Court of North Gauteng and visit with sitting Judge Pretorius. When we arrived at the court we had no idea that we were going to be blessed with an exclusive opportunity that most visitors do not get. After a brief introduction we were led by…
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The South African Human Rights Commission is a “Chapter Nine” body, or independent agency, under the South African Constitution. This means that it answers only to Parliament, similar to the Office of the Public Protector that we visited earlier in the week. The Commission, however, has a much broader mandate. While the Public Protector can…
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Our first morning in Pretoria was spent at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. I was surprised as we walked into the office to see posters hanging up that advertised various rights to each South African citizen, such as sexual orientation and gender. This has been a running theme throughout our stay in the…
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Robben Island Today we toured the former prison at Robben Island where the leaders of the struggle against racial apartheid in South Africa, most famously Nelson Mandela, were held as political prisoners for many years. The boat ride out to the island was not very long but as we moved further and further out to the…
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“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is…
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We began our first day in Pretoria with a visit to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development with a representative from the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC). The Commission was established in 1973 by public act for the purpose of promoting law reform on a variety of issues and submitting draft legislation to…
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“In democratic countries such as South Africa, the legislature or Parliament plays a vital role. The members of Parliament are elected to represent the people of the country.” “They also act as the voice of the people. Parliament, therefore, is accountable to the people of South Africa.” Our very first visit in Cape Town, South…
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On March 11, 2011, our second excursion included travels across the Atlantic Ocean by ferry to Robben Island, located in Cape Town, South Africa. Robben Island is most famous for its imprisonment of Nelson Mandela (South Africa’s first democratic president) during the Apartheid Republic of South America. Although Nelson Mandela was imprisoned at Robben Island…
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