Videos

As part of our 25th Anniversary, we collected the perspectives of a range of individuals who all have in common that they were associated with the Community Law Centre and/or with our founding Director, the late Adv Dullah Omar.

They spoke to us about establishing the Centre in 1990 during very tense times and about the Centre’s contribution to the constitution-making process. They spoke about the Centre finding a new direction after 1994, deepening its academic programme and expanding its work into the continent.

These are there stories...

Albie Sachs, former associate of the Centre and judge of South Africa’s Constitutional Court judge from 1994-2009

On the Centre as the engine room of the intellectual foundation for the new Constitution…and on combining dreaming, imagining and ‘nuggety research’.

Prof Renfrew Christie, former Dean of Research of UWC and Chairperson of CLC’s Board

On helping to write a Constitution in a time of war

India Baird, former CLC staff member and Director of Rock Girl

On working for Dullah Omar as an intern, Amy Biehls’ tragic death and how it sparked thinking on restorative justice

Johann Mettler, City Manager of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality

On CLC as the research angle for the liberation movement and on shaping the local government system as we know it.

Prof Renfrew Christie, former Dean of Research of UWC and Chairperson of CLC’s Board

On a Centre that is “for all of Africa”, academic and engaged in social justice.

Prof Julia Sloth-Nielsen, former staff member and Professor of Law, University of the Western Cape

On ensuring the Constitution included children’s rights and on 15 years of law reform towards the Child Justice Act and the Children’s Act.

Prof Frans Viljoen, Director of the Centre for Human Rights (University of Pretoria)

On a 15-year long collaboration with the Community Law Centre on human rights and democratisation in Africa

Adv. Karrisha Pillay, Advocate at the Cape Bar

On litigating socio-economic rights and on the value of institutions such as CLC

Bulelani Ngcuka

Brigitte Mabandla

Xavier Phillipe

Nico Steytler

Vincent Saldanha