The Wits Programme in Law, Justice and Development in Africa (WITS PLJDA)

The Wits Programme in Law, Justice and Development in Africa (Wits PLJDA) was established in 2009 as an Academic Programme in the School of Law.

The mission and vision of the Wits PLJDA are to harness the link between the application of the principles of international rule of law and the development process on the African continent and to apply it in the training of a new breed of African leaders and scholars.

The Programme's context is situated within the University's vision to provide "space for intellectual entrepreneurship" that leads to creativity and innovation in teaching, learning and research. One of the overall aims of the university is for Wits to occupy a "niche" not just in the South African but also in the African and global ''higher education landscape'' as a university with a formidable reputation that is globally recognized. From the Programme's perspective, the study of law has grown from one that emphasizes a parallel path in its relationship to other areas of human endeavour to one that is applied to all aspects of national and regional development. The Programme draws from the sentiments of the Final Communique of the All-Africa Conference on Law, Justice and Development organized by the Coalition of African Jurists in Abuja, Nigeria in 2003. The Communique stressed the importance of "justice as the overriding factor that can bring about peace, reconciliation and good governance which are essential requisites for reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development for our respective countries as well as for our continent." Vital aspects of development that interlink with law generally or international law in particular, include entrenching the principle of the rule of law and the development of formidable justice mechanisms and capacity that guarantee its realization. To this end, through The Abuja Declaration on Law, Justice and Development, which was a product of the conference alluded to above, African jurists at that conference affirmed that "The Rule of Law, respect for fundamental rights and development are inextricably linked.'' The Declaration also points out that in the furtherance of development, "Democracy in Africa and institutions established for that purpose can only be sustained through the observance of the rule of law and by a judicial system properly equipped to administer and deliver justice." Law in the continent needs to be studied from this perspective, as there is a yearning for this development-focused dimension of the law that interrogates other aspects of national or regional developmental needs by emphasizing the relationship between law, appropriate justice mechanisms and development.

• To create an institutional emphasis and engagement in Law, Justice and Development in Africa with a view to interrogating aspects of this broad concept in the quest for African continental development.
• To realize the above by primarily engaging in teaching, research and debate in Law, Justice and Development in Africa in all its ramifications as a niche area by attracting excellent and exceptional Doctoral, Masters and Post-Doctoral candidates as well as visiting scholars and professionals to advance the culture of teaching, research and debate in the theme area.
• To engage in Africa-wide capacity building initiatives in Law, Justice, and Development on the continent through training initiatives directed at government institutions, private organizations, individualsand civil society organizations in Africa.
• To engage in beneficial partnerships to the School of Law and the university in Law, Justice and Development in Africa.

The Wits PLJDA is administered by the Programme Implementation Committee (PIC) made of the following academic staff members in the School of Law who are associated with the Programme:

Prof. Vincent O. Nmehielle, Head of the Programme
Ms. Ntombozuko Dyani
Mr. Sanele Sibanda
Mr. Mtendeweka O. Mhango

The following Post-Doctoral Fellows, Doctoral (PhD) and Masters (LL.M.) candidates are associated with the Programme:

Dr. Morris Mbondenyi, Post-Doctoral Fellow
Research: International Accountability Mechanisms and Impunity in Africa

Godfrey Musila, PhD Candidate
Research: Restorative Justice in International Criminal Law: The Right of Victims in the International Criminal Court (Completed).

Nixon Sifuna, PhD Candidate
Research: Legal and Institutional Arrangements for Damage Caused by Wildlife in Kenya and Botswana (Completed).

Tagbo Agbazue, PhD Candidate
Research: Meeting Obligations Under the African Peer Review Mechanism: Pubic-Private Partnerships in Attaining the Objectives of the New Partnership for Africa?s Development (NEPAD) (on-going).

Joes B. Kimitai, PhD Candidate
Research: Human Rights to a Clean and Healthy Environment, Intergenerational Equity and Sustainable Development: A Study of the United Kingdom, Kenya and South Africa (ongoing).

Esther Murigirwa, LLM Candidate
Research Report: Corporate Human Rights Responsibility in the Exploitation of Natural Resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Completed).

Mzee Munlo, LLM Candidate
Research Report: The Accountability of Multinational Corporations for Human Rights Abuses: Beyond Limited Liability of Holding Companies (ongoing).

Lena Chirwa, LLM Candidate
Research Report: The Demands of Self-Determination on Contemporary International Law: Evidence from Southern Sudan (ongoing).

Juliet Mureriwa, LLM Candidate
Research Report: Double Standards in International on Succession: Kosovo and Western Sahara (ongoing).

Chinwe Onubogu, LLM Candidate
Research Report: Corporate Human Rights Responsibility in South Africa: The Place of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act (ongoing).

Amechi Chukwurah, LLM Candidate
Research Report: The Role of the Southern African Development Community in Resolving the Zimbabwe Political and Economic Crises (ongoing).

We seek to attract exceptional postgraduate students for PhD, LLM (by Research) and LLM (by Course Work) in the theme area of law, justice and development in Africa. Candidates would normally apply to the postgraduate programme of the School of Law for admission in an area sufficiently related to our theme area of law, justice and development. How to Apply.

We also, welcome post-doctoral and visiting scholars who are interested in conducting cutting edge research in the theme area. Candidates should apply to the School of law expressing their interest for postdoctoral research and as visiting scholars.

Events

Conferences, Seminars, Speaker Series and Symposium
International Conference on Africa and the Future of International Criminal Law 14 ? 16 July 2010.Click here for more information and call for papers.

Prof. Vincent O. Nmehielle
Head of the Programme
School of Law, First Floor, Room 131
University of the Witwatersrand
Private Bag X3, Wits
Johannesburg 2050
South Africa.

Phone: 27(0)11 717-8453
27(0)86 553-5490 (Fax 1)
27(0)11 717-8539 (Fax 2)
Email: Vincent.Nmehielle@wits.ac.za