Wits School of Law

11/09/2026

“AI cannot ultimately be held accountable for the decisions it produces or assists with. AI can assist us, but it cannot replace human responsibility and judgement,” says Prof Michele van Eck, associate professor at the Wits School of Law.

By Charmaine Ndlela Ethics in the legal profession goes beyond simply complying with the law, Judge Sandiswa Mfenyana has warned, saying legal practitioners must uphold professional responsibility even when legislation does not provide clear answers. Mfenyana, of the North West Division of the High....

11/09/2026

Blossom Matizirofa and Busisiwe Kamolane-Kgadima from the Centre for Applied Legal Studies draw on research by the Global Center on AI Governance to highlight the human rights implications of automating decisions about who receives social grants.

They recently appeared in the Supreme Court of Appeal to make the same arguments.

Read the full article:

Sassa’s automated, digital-only verification system for the Social Relief of Distress grant is erroneously excluding vulnerable South Africans as without human review it fails to capture the true cont…

10/09/2026

09/09/2026

The Mandela Institute and the Heinrich Böll Foundation are hosting Emmanuel Umpula Nkumba from African Resources Watch for a keynote address on the extraction of copper in the SADC region and its potential for use in the clean energy transition and development projects.

📅 16 September 2026
🕐 13:00 – 14:00
📍 AV Room, School of Law
🔗 https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/341368129616086?p=dlYH8YnjQAXtwS3P2s

08/09/2026

03/09/2026

On 26 August, the School of Law hosted the official opening of the Ralph Zulman Moot Court Centre. The Centre offers a dedicated space for students to practice their advocacy skills and continue the tradition of mooting at Wits.

We were pleased to host the family of the late Judge Zulman, the Wits moot team who made it through to the quarter finals of this year's John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition, and former moot students to speak at the event.

03/09/2026

Last night, Prof Marius Van Staden delivered his inaugural lecture as a professor of the Wits School of Law.

His address entitled “The Ruse of Labour Law” highlighted difficult challenges in the field of labour law in South Africa and hopes for how they can be overcome. His emphasis on the need for labour law to have a theory of justice reminds us how important it is for legal protections to match lived experiences.

You can catch up on the full address here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKPqdpCq0pM

We send our thanks to the organisers at Wits and to all the attendees and special guests including Deputy Vice Chancellor Ian Jandrell, Dean of the Faculty Jason Cohen, Prof Lilian Chenwi on behalf of the Head of School, as well as Prof Elmarie Fourie from the University of Johannesburg who gave the vote of thanks.

03/09/2026

📢 CALL FOR PAPERS | JOINT SYMPOSIUM
Climate Transitions, Industrialisation & Development in the Global South
The Southern Centre for Inequality Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand and Princeton University invite submissions for a joint symposium exploring how climate transitions are reshaping production, labour, industrial policy, value chains and development trajectories across the Global South.
🌍 Themes include:
• The Climate Factory
• Green Industrial Policy & State Capacity
• Labour, Skills & the Just Transition
• Critical Minerals, Batteries & Climate Capital
• Comparative Climate Projects
📄 Submit:
• Abstract of no more than 500 words
• Short biographical note (max. 150 words)

Click here to access the document: https://bit.ly/4wL8D3U

📩 Submit abstracts and queries: [email protected]

31/08/2026

Today is the final day to apply to run the delict and labour law units at the Wits Law Clinic.

Find the full requirements and guide to applications here: https://www.wits.ac.za/vacancies/

The School of Law is recruiting!

We are currently looking for two attorneys to lead the delict and labour law units at the Wits Law Clinic.

Find the full requirements and apply here: https://www.wits.ac.za/vacancies/

Applications close 31 August 2026

31/08/2026

The annual Public Interest Law Gathering brings together representatives from public interest organisations along with academics and students to discuss pressing issues in human rights in South Africa. Save the date for this year's edition on 26 and 27 October at Wits University.

SAVE THE DATE: Join public interest organisations, lawyers, and activists from across South Africa at Wits University in Johannesburg on 26 and 27 October 2026 for two days of reflection, debate, and collaboration on the issues shaping our democracy.

Expect bold conversations, challenging perspectives, and an exciting line-up of topics that interrogate the state of justice in South Africa and beyond.