News

Dr Chigwata launches a book on provincial, local gov’t reform in Zimbabwe

On 16 October 2018, Dr Tinashe Chigwata, launched his book titled “Provincial and Local Government Reform in Zimbabwe: An analysis of the Law, Policy and Practice”. The launch took place at the Local Government Investment Conference which took place this week in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Dullah Omar Institute co-hosts Seminar on ‘race’ and racism

On 26 September, the Dullah Omar Institute, University of the Western Cape partnered with ASRI and the District Six Museum to convene a seminar on ‘Race’ and racism in post-millennial post-apartheid South Africa: unmaking the past, making the future. The seminar was chaired by Jaap de Visser, the Director of the Dullah Omar Institute and featured influential researchers and thought leaders on ‘race’ and racism.

Judge Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane has highlighted that inequality for women in the workplace, among other settings, is still prevalent in South Africa. Judge Kathree-Setiloane - the South Gauteng High Court judge who has presided over several high profile matters - has also warned that sexual harassment cases against women in the workplace are pervasive. There are judgments from the courts that have found that resignations as a result of sexual harassment does constitute unfair dismissal.

South Africa ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in January 2015. As required by the ICESCR, the South African government submitted its initial report to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in April 2017.

Masters graduates commend Dullah Omar Institute

Three students who graduated with a Masters in Multilevel Government and Local Government yesterday, thanked the Dullah Omar Institute for giving them the opportunity to pursue the high level course.

Prof De Visser appointed as member of the advisory committee of the SA Law Reform Commission

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Hon Michael Masutha has appointed the Director of the Dullah Omar Institute, Prof Jaap de Visser, as a member of the advisory committee of the South African Law Reform Commission.

The challenges of hunger among students in higher education in South Africa

The issue of student hunger on university campuses has gained prominence in light of the #feesmustfall movement that has encapsulated South Africa tertiary institutions since 2015. While there are no tangible statistics that reflect the scope of the problem, the issue of students lacking basic needs, both food and shelter, has gained significant traction among university administrators.

The Zimbabwe Elections of July 2018: “A missed opportunity or the defining moment of the second republic”

The SARChI in Multilevel Government, Law and Policy organised a policy dialogue to interrogate Zimbabwe’s harmonised elections of July 2018. The policy dialogue which took place on 14 August 2018 at the School of Public Health (UWC) interrogated several questions relating to both the electoral process and outcome.

INVITATION: The SARChI Chair hosts Policy Dialogue on 2018 Zimbabwe Elections

Topic: The Zimbabwe Elections of July 2018 “A missed opportunity or the defining moment of the second republic”

08 August 2018 - The provincial legislatures oversee and make the law. But when it comes to sexual harassment they seem to think they do not need the law. The #NotOurLeaders campaign has written repeatedly to all nine provincial legislatures and our four largest political parties requesting copies of their sexual harassment policies. To date, we have only received copies of two sexual harassment policies.

Dullah Omar Institute welcomes Centre for Human Rights students

The Dullah Omar Institute is delighted to announce that, three LLM/MPhil in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa, students from Centre for Human Rights, University of  Pretoria joined the institute. The students will be doing their internship at the institute until December.

Mandela Day: Dullah Omar Institute visits a crèche in Wallacedene

The Dullah Omar Institute visited Someleze Education Centre, a crèche in Wallacedene, as part of the Institute’s Mandela Day initiatives.

Seminar: “Voice and Accountability: What Councillors Say”

45% of councillors in South Africa fear violence, 25% are pressurised around tenders and 32% prefer ‘getting this done’ over consultation. These were some of the statistics discussed during the seminar on “Voice and Accountability: What Councillors Say”, hosted by the Dullah Omar Institute, in collaboration with the South African Local Government Association.

Colloquium unpacks sexual and reproductive health and rights in Africa

The Socio Economic Rights Project (SERP) in conjunction with the Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN), held a colloquium on the role of regional/sub-regional human rights bodies in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Africa, from the 28 – 29 June 2018.

The Women and Democracy Initiative (WDI) identifies as feminist, challenging systemic power, patriarchal norms and pervasive misogyny. We take an informed position to challenge the social system and dominant narratives that colluded with people accused of sexual misconduct and abuses of power and silence those who seek justice and protection.

DOI participates at the 62nd Ordinary Session of the African Commission

The Dullah Omar Institute (DOI), University of the Western Cape, participated in the 62nd Ordinary Session of the African Commission, held inNouakchott, Mauritania, from 25th April to 9th May 2018. DOI’s Statement to the Commission centred on the need to empower National Human Rights Institutions in African States with the enabling environment and resources to engender the protection of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Africa.

Prof De Visser shares South African experience with Philippines Constitutional Review Committee

Prof Jaap de Visser was invited by the Forum of Federations to be part of an engagement, on 11 and 12 May 2018, between international experts and the Philippines Consultative Committee to review the Constitution of the Philippines.

Dullah Omar Institute hosts Ugandan Land Inquiry Visit to South Africa 2018

The Ugandan government is undergoing a legal process to reform the law, policy and practices related to four key areas of land, namely: land acquisition, land administration, land management and land registration.

Memorial Service of Dr Zola Skweyiya

Please join us in celebrating and honouring the life and contribution of Dr Zola Skweyiya, a former colleague at the University of the Western Cape and a former minister in the South African government. Dr Skweyiya joined UWC in 1990 after returning to South Africa from political exile where he worked with Adv Dullah Omar in the newly established Community Law Centre based in the Law Faculty.

The Dullah Omar Institute has noted with great sadness the passing of Dr Skweyiya, one of the founding members of the Institute (formerly the Community Law Centre). Dr Skweyiya fully represented the unwavering commitment to justice and the protection of the marginalised that characterised the generation of leaders that helped usher in democracy and went on to serve South Africa with great distinction.

The DOI organised an Expert and Activist Conference. The conference comprised 8 presentations divided into three sessions. Session one, dealt with the legal process to achieve law reform, where we are now, and are we implementing the most suitable economic models to achieve real gains for land claimants.

An informal dialogue session was hosted by Prof Serene Coetzee at the Centre for Geo-info Sciences.

The meeting with Prof Berrisford, was to provide a platform to the Ugandan delegation on ideas for urban land law reform. The discussion highlighted the significance in understanding the urban land market and identifying problems to be tackled for effective urban land reform.

The meeting with the Deeds Office included the participation of the Acting Chief Registrar of Deeds Ms M Ntuli who facilitated an interactive engagement between the Ugandan delegation and the DRDLR officials. In addition, a presentation was rendered by Mr Theo Bester which set a sound foundation for the discussion, who explained the mandate of the Deeds Office.

The meeting with the Land Claims Commission (LCC) created a platform for the Land Inquiry to learn key lessons that could be applied to the Ugandan Land Fund.

The afternoon engagement with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in Limpopo, was chaired by the Provincial Manager Mr Victor Mavhidula and included the participation of his colleagues: Dr Eileen Carter (Senior Legal Officer); Mr Thembi Madalane (Legal Officer) and Mrs Mankese Thema (Human Rights Advocacy, Research and Communications Officer) at the Limpopo Office.

The morning engagement with the traditional leaders created a platform for robust engagement. The Secretary of the House Mr Mashele together with the Honourable Chairperson Kgoshi Dikgale M.S and the other members of the Traditional House articulated their position on access to land and land administration.

The first benchmarking visit took place in Zebediela Citrus Farm Estate. The delegation analysed literature on the Bjatladi Community Restitution Claim and the economic model employed between the community and the strategic partner prior to the site visit.

Strides towards a research agenda for local government key

Problems in local government must be investigated, this is necessary because a large portion of South Africa and its people are feeling and living the consequences of poor governance. This is according to Prof Nico Steytler, SARChI Chair in Multlevel Government, Law and Policy at the Dullah Omar Institute when delivering a keynote address at the SALGA Research Colloquium currently taking place at the Cape Sun Hotel from 28-29 March 2018.

Dullah Omar Institute appoints a new Extraordinary Professor

Prof Christopher Mbazira from Public Interest Law Clinic (PILAC) at Makerere University in Uganda has been appointed an Extraordinary Associate Professor in the Dullah Omar Institute at the University of the Western Cape.