The Faculty of Law in collaboration with CANRAD held a Law Colloquium under the theme of African legal pedagogy: navigating the South African legal space through a race, gender and classed lens? The event took place on Thursday, 17 May 2018 at the North Campus Conference Centre.

The event was meant to provide a conversation, interrogating the current legal framework of South Africa and how citizens, who face numerous social identities at once, are received by the justice system.

It began with an informative lecture presented by the keynote speaker Dr. Modiri entitled ‘The Time and Space of Critical Legal Philosophy’. The lecture challenged students to think critically by asking “How is the person who is worst off in society affected by this law?”.  Further in answering a question on decolonization, Dr. Modiri posited that “In the process of fighting for freedom, we become liberated and free.”

The two respondents Dr. Leah Ndimurwino and Ms. Vuyolwethu Saliso provided a different perspective and understanding of navigating the law through both a customary law lens and from a gender viewpoint.

There was plenty of healthy engagement from the audience, giving both contributions and asking pertinent questions. Overall the event was a success and a learning experience for all in attendance, it provided an alternate view on legal education and experience on how law operates.

It was a very important landmark in the struggle to decolonise and Africanise the law, and transform our legal education to produce graduates who are conscious and ready to serve specifically in the South Africa context.