South Africa: New programme in social justice

The University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa is launching a landmark programme to breathe new life into efforts to empower the poor and marginalised.

The Masters in Social Justice is the first of its kind to be launched by a South African university and combines law, social justice and development. Run by the Institute of Development and Labour Law at the UCT Faculty of Law, it involves prominent South African legal and development experts, including Judge Dennis Davis, and is designed for both law and non-law graduates.

The Masters in Social Justice is unique in its inter-disciplinary approach. For law graduates it offers the chance of a new career path or a specialisation, said Professor Hugh Corder, Dean of Law at UCT.

“A critical step is nurturing a new generation of lawyers – lawyers that are able to analyse not only from a legal perspective, but also from economic, political, gender and cultural perspectives,” he said.

For development practitioners with a non-legal background, the programme offers an understanding of the role that law can and should play in transforming society, while for graduates from other fields, it offers an ideal entry point into development. Those interested or already active in advocacy will benefit particularly.

According to Marlese von Broembsen, the architect and convenor of the new programme, the course was conceived because of the frequent disjuncture between theory and practice. Often policy ideas are good in theory, but reflect little understanding of the reality of life in poor communities.

“One of the required courses is a practical course that focuses on engaging with and developing solutions around the experiences and realities of those marginalised.

“It includes both rights-based activities and other development activities, such as building social capital and networks, or literacy projects. These interventions can have nothing to do with law in some cases, yet they are critical in that they enable marginalised people to exercise their human rights. The work of the Black Sash and Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa exemplifies this kind of approach,” said Von Broembsen.

There are numerous examples, she added, where a top-down only approach can have unintended consequences. “The way that the child grant has been conceptualised in South Africa is one example. Applicants are eligible if the household earns less than the stipulated amount. The anecdotal evidence is that the effect that this has had on household dynamics has apparently been considerable – for example, it discourages men from staying with their partners, as their combined income would disqualify the primary care-giver mother from receiving the grant.”

The new programme builds on similar programmes in other developing countries, and exposes students to community work as learners, not as experts. This hands-on learning is a key part of the curriculum and builds on the core courses and a range of electives that are being offered.

According to Judge Davis, speaking on how the programme can benefit South Africa in particular, the challenge of social justice is the biggest facing the country.

“People are being marginalised and there is definitely a feeling that many of the poorest citizens are getting a bad deal. Crime and a lack of delivery such as in education and health provision are just some of the factors fuelling these communities’ discontent and desperation.”

The recent xenophobic attacks were a clear wake up call to SA, he added.

“Empowering people to enrich the political discourse is imperative in South Africa, and it starts with tangible steps to promote justice for all, not just the elite,” said Davis.

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For more information or an interview, contact Michael Morgan or Melanie Blythe on +27 021 448 9465 or email [email][email protected]