Champions of the vulnerable
In law clinics across the country, lawyers work quietly on cases aimed at achieving a positive and wide effect on society. Impact litigation reaches beyond the client and creates legal precedent that brings change for whole communities.
A notable example is the Constitutional Court case of University of Stellenbosch Legal Aid Clinic which addressed the affects of emolument attachment orders on the poor. The court emphasized that lack of judicial oversight posed a threat to the livelihood and dignity of low-income earners, a distinctly vulnerable group in society.
The Stellenbosch Law Clinic is currently engaged in impact litigation over a blind person and their guide dog being refused entry to a restaurant as well as crucial follow up work on the emoluments case.
Pictured recently at the clinic are (left to right) Prof Geo Quinot, Vice Dean of the Law Faculty; Theo Broodryk, Manager of the Stellenbosch Law Clinic, and Stephan van der Merwe, Practical Legal Training, Faculty of Law.
See also how an office of Legal Aid acted in the Eastern Cape and averted a disaster similar to the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
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6 年Well done Theo! I am following what you are doing and am so impressed. What law should be about: defense the poor and the weak.
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6 年We cannot thank you that much but your work speaks volumes. Input as good as your output reach out and touch to make a difference. Former deputy chief justice Moseka commission of the death of mental challenged patients. The said thing of the story at Esidebeni is that our joint seating Provincial and National house of our parliament refused to take a minute of silence in respect of the death patients. Both speakers of the joint house Thandi Modise and Mbethe just couldn't be convinced by DA, EFF, UDM, COPE, to pray for the mental handicapped patients. But as you may see hands on as always Louis Podbielski an International Advocacy Training Council is on a road show speaking about good course the more equipped could help reconstruction our fragmented institutions after the state capture. The law clinic must be recommended for good work with advocacy on guide dogs allowed in eateries after all they are patrons eyes. As the averted Esidebeni the second in Easter Cape this time around year 2017 it is a blessing it has not strike two in our country history. We have Michael Komape a six years old boy dying in long drop toilet somewhere in Limpopo, died of defecation building in his stomach and the money allocated for building infrastructure was return to treasury because of in fighting for tenders. Heard the High Court when the family of Komape advocate Maleka wanted to get to the truth. Thus was the testimony crossed. In Eastern Cape we had the recurring of the Limpopo, this time a girl five died in similarly situation pits toilet in our schools. Minister Angie Motsekga was on record and instructed her department to speed up infrastructure and save life of younger educators Thanks IATC Louis Podbielski for updates and letting us are float and at speed with our state of our rebuilding from down graded economy status and state capture on our institutions. Similar bone structure of mental health and pits toilet you have demonstrated So long and thanks for your effort Alex