South African Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng unveiling the
Honours Board of the Ellie Newman Memorial Moot Final
Competition with the Dean and Head of the School of Law,
 Professor Managay Reddi.

The School of Law’s academic and socio-legal programme, In Conversation With, was launched on the Howard College campus recently with South Africa’s Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng taking part in high profile debate.

The inaugural session of the programme opens a forum in which leading legal luminaries will be invited to discuss topical legal and judicial issues.

The first part of the conversation was a one-on-one conversation between the Chief Justice and the Dean and Head of the School of Law, Professor Managay Reddi.

The conversation saw Reddi ask Mogoeng, a School of Law alumnus, about his main priorities in respect of the judiciary, his concerns about the delays and consequent costs in finalising cases, the on-going debate in the legal profession about the undergraduate four-year LLB degree and the most urgent challenges he faces as head of the Constitutional Court.

The Chief justice responded by outlining plans about the implementation of the monitoring performance system to address the backlog of cases, the issue of transformation within the judiciary and skills development within the judiciary. He also advised law academics to foster links with the justice department which would expose students to the practical side of law.

‘We need to reach out more to institutions such as this one and our communities as this is one of the ways we can ensure everyone is educated about their rights and justice is accessible to everyone.

‘I am honoured to have been taught by lecturers, such as Ellie Newman, who empower students so when they leave this university they are better prepared for the world of law,’ said Mogoeng.

Mogoeng told students they needed to embrace education for the sake of the nation. ‘My appeal to you is that once you have completed benefiting from practitioners in this institution, you avail yourself as a fountain of wisdom for those who are yet to practice law.’

The second part of the event involved Reddi calling for questions from law students and academics followed by the unveiling of the Honours Board of the Ellie Newman Memorial Moot Final Competition which he participated in as a finalist in 1985.

Referring to the Chief Justice’s address, Reddi said: ‘The School of Law at UKZN is one of the most transformed law schools in South Africa. Our students range from the very sophisticated to those who have had very little, if any, contact with luminaries in the legal profession.

‘The Chief Justice’s visit to the School and the advice he dispensed to our students will no doubt serve to inspire every one of them to strive for levels of greatness they may have not thought possible.’

The event was preceded by the Moot Final Competition.