Webinar: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) v Lagardien (2023/2391

In recognition of Pride Month, the Mandela Institute hosted Commissioner Tshepo Madlingozi for a talk on South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) v Lagardien (2023/2391). The proceedings stemmed from a sign displayed outside the business premises of a Gqberha shop owner stating “LGBTQI not welcome at La Gardi, save our children”, and from a whatsapp group allegedly created by the same shop owner called “Our rights – anti LGBTQI”.  The SARHC instituted the case under the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000 in the Eastern Cape High Court and hearings took place in July 2025.

Lecture & Panel Discussion - Regulating Dominance for a Tech-Driven Economy: Reflections on comparative Competition Law

The Mandela Institute, in collaboration with the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS), Wits Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery Institute (MIND) at the University of the Witwatersrand and Bowmans hosted a lecture by world-leading scholar, Professor Eleanor M. Fox.

Webinar: Policy-Awake, Delivery-Drowsy - South Africa’s Adaptation Agenda After the ICJ Climate Opinion

The Mandela Institute hosted Zunaida Moosa Wadiwala for a talk on the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on climate change: What has changed and why it matters for South Africa’s adaptation agenda.

Strategic Risk in Decision-Making in the Just Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy Webinar

Professor Tracy-Lynn Field, Claude Leon Chair in Earth Justice and Stewardship, in partnership with the Mandela Institute at the Wits School of Law, hosted a webinar featuring Professor Raphael J. Heffron.

Copyright Law in South Africa

The Mandela Institute in collaboration with the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property from American University Washington College of Law will be hosting a webinar series focusing on aspects of copyright law in South Africa.

The aim of the webinar series is to provide clarity on a fast evolving area of law, that has seen both litigation and parliamentary law reform. 

AI and the Law Webinar

The widespread use of large language models across the world, like ChatGPT, DALL-E, Midjourney etc. has brought the legal regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) into the public eye. Several countries around the world are starting to see litigation against the companies that have developed these algorithms. In this webinar, panellists discussed pressing contemporary issues in the legal regulation of AI: AI and data protection, AI and intellectual property, and AI and ethics, drawing on global developments, and situating these issues in the South African context.

Renewable Energy Markets in South Africa: Exploring the Policy and Legal Landscape for Embedded Generation (Seminar Series)

The Claude Leon Chair in Earth Justice and Stewardship, Professor Tracy-Lynn Field, hosted an online seminar series exploring the varying policy and legal landscapes for promoting embedded renewable energy generation in the residential, community, education, municipal, and commercial and industrial markets.

While much attention has been focused on South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme, the embedded generation market has boomed as South Africans search for more reliable, cleaner solutions for energy security.

In the seminar series, leaders and first-movers discussed the models they are pursuing to advance the uptake of renewable energy in different market segments, and the policy, legal
and regulatory opportunities and constraints they have faced along the way.

Whistleblowers: True champions and defenders of human rights, democracy and the rule of law

In commemorating Human Rights and Freedom Months in 2023, civil society groups, Active Citizens Movement, Leaders for Integrity, Whistleblowers of America in partnership with Mandela Institute, a centre within the Wits School of Law, and Primerio International, and other key stakeholders, are proud to host a dialogue on Whistleblowers: True champions and defenders of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

Webinar on People, Not Profits: On Systemic Corruption, Human Rights & Institutional Innovation

The South African Research Chair in Equality, Law and Social Justice, the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS), and the Mandela Institute, a Centre within the School of Law, of the University of the Witwatersrand hosted a webinar presented by Dr. Camila Vergara, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow, University of Cambridge.

Webinars: UNCITRAL Days in Africa

The Mandela Institute in partnership with UNCITRAL as part of its UNCITRAL Days in Africa initiative (for more information, click here) hosted a series of webinars.

Fintech Regulation and Platform Regulation Webinars

The Mandela Institute at the Wits School of Law in collaboration with the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WiSER), and the Centre for Competition, Regulation and Economic Development (CCRED) at the University of Johannesburg hosted the Fintech Regulation and Platform Regulation webinars, which forms part of a research project supported by a grant from Omidyar Network.

State duties and powers with regard to mandatory vaccination

The Mandela Institute, a centre situated within the Wits School of Law, hosted a webinar discussing state powers and duties with regard to mandatory vaccination. The webinar discussed the burden placed on the private sector to take the lead on mandatory vaccination and also whether mandatory vaccinations would be constitutionally valid and what action should be taken by the state.

Regulatory implications of data protection in Africa

Mandela Institute hosted a series of webinars on regulatory implications of data protection in Africa which formed part of a broader research project. 

TRIPS Webinar Series

Hosted by the Health Justice Initiative and Mandela Institute, a series of webinars addressing legal and policy issues arising out of the proposed WTO TRIPS waiver.

International Economic Law (southern) African perspectives and priorities

The Mandela Institute, a centre situated within the Wits School of Law, hosted a series of three book launch webinars which discussed chapters of the book INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC LAW - (southern) African perspectives and priorities.  The first book dedicated to examining international economic law from a (southern) African perspective.

Copyright Amendment Bill

The Mandela Institute at the School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand hosted a webinar discussing the Copyright Amendment Bill;which is currently under consideration of the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry in the National Parliament.

Trade, Patent Law and Vaccine Procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic: Issues and Lessons for the Global South

The Mandela Institute at the School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand hosted a webinar on Trade, Patent Law and Vaccine Procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic: Issues and Lessons for the Global South.

Mining Communities who say 'No': Hostage-takers, Victims or Agents of Transformative Change?

The escalation of mining-related conflict in some communities is untenable. What should the state, mining companies, traditional authorities and communities themselves be doing to restore peace, order and respect for human rights? Are our laws and institutions transformative enough to hold and deal with the conflicts in mining-impacted communities? And instead of victims or hostage-takers should we be seeing the communities who are saying no as the provocateurs for deeper and more extensive transformation in the mining industry?

Competition in the Digital Economy: The Competition Commission's Approach to Enforcement and Merger Regulation

The Competition Commission and the Mandela Institute, a centre in the Wits School of Law, hosted a Panel Discussion on the paper recently released by the Competition Commission titled ‘Competition in the Digital Economy: The Competition Commission’s Approach to the Enforcement and Merger Regulation’.

Law, policy and inequality

The South African Research Chair in Equality, Law and Social Justice, the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, and the Mandela Institute, a centre within the Wits School of Law, hosted a series of webinars on "Law, policy and inequality".

International trade pre-, during, and post-Covid-19: Crisis and Vulnerabilities

This webinar discussed the reasons for the WTO being in a crisis at the time of Covid-19 and the way(s) in which international trade rules have been and may still be weaponised as a sword and shield to protect the economic and social interests of a state and its citizens. We identify the existing structural vulnerabilities and inequalities underpinning the international trading system and question whether this global crisis marks a point for strategically reorienting of this rules-based regime toward more just and equitable outcomes.

Public Lecture: Data Protection, Trade and Competition Law

The Mandela Institute of the School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand cordially hosted a public lecture delivered by Judith Rauhofer, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

The lecture covered a number of pressing issues in privacy as this field of law deals with challenges of technology and of social concern, including inequality.  Prof Rauhofer will draw upon her extensive experience in information technology and international economic law as well as recent experiences in crafting model laws and national legislation for data protection in Africa.

Judith Rauhofer is a Senior Lecturer in IT Law at the University of Edinburgh and an Associate Director of the SCRIPT research centre. She holds professional legal qualifications in Germany (Rechtsanwalt) and England (Solicitor). Her research interests include all areas of internet law and policy, e-commerce, online privacy, data protection, information security and electronic surveillance.  Judith has previously worked in legal practice in Liverpool, London and Manchester, advising clients from the media and new media industries on aspects of e-commerce, data protection and IT law. She continues to provide consultancy services in the area of e-commerce and data protection compliance.The 

The public lecture took place on 11 March 2020 at 17:30. 

Public seminar by Norman Manoim and Competition and Economic Regulation for Inclusive Growth in Southern Africa book launch

Panel Discussion

Is the NHI Bill good or bad for your health?

The Mandela Institute of the School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand hosted a panel discussion on
11 September 2019 where experts shed some light on the debate over the recently published National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill.

The panelists were :

Dr Nicholas Crisp, Consultant in Minister of Health Office, responsible for establishing the NHI Fund Office

Neil Kirby Director, Werksmans Attorneys and head of its Health Care Practice

Adila Hassim Advocate, Johannesburg Bar and co-founder of Section 27

Prof Karen Hofman, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand

The discussions were chaired by :

Prof Imraan Valodia  Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits

Recording of the live stream panel discussion on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Hq0BE5acQ&t=2869s

Wits University News Article on the panel discussion: http://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2019/2019-09/is-the-nhi-bill-good-or-bad-for-your-health.html