______19 October 2010
MEDIA STATEMENT
CHIEF JUSTICE OF SOUTH AFRICA AND PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION TO ADDRESS LAW GRADUATES
The Chief Justice of South Africa, the Honourable Justice Sandile Ngcobo and the President of the South African Rugby Union, Mr Oregan Hoskins will deliver keynote addresses at the UKZN Law Centenary Reunion Gala Dinner on Saturday, 23 October at the Royal Show Grounds, Pietermaritzburg.
The Law Reunion Gala Dinner marks the centenary of Higher Education in the province of KwaZulu‐Natal and is particularly significant as the teaching of law in the province of KwaZulu‐Natal began in 1910 with the establishment of the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg. Today the Faculty of Law at UKZN spans across two teaching centres located on the Durban and Pietermaritzburg campuses and offers both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
The Reunion will reunite Law graduates from the former Universities of Durban‐ Westville (UDW) and Natal as well as Law graduates from the University of KwaZulu‐Natal.
The dinner will be preceded by a Tree Planting Ceremony and a Law Centenary Book Launch on Friday, 22 October at UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg campus.
Twelve indigenous trees will be planted by prominent South African judges, academics, alumni and community members including: the Honourable Judges of the KwaZulu‐Natal High Court Judge Trevor Gorven; Judge Piet Koen; Judge Kevin Swain from the class of 1974; Judge Achmat Jappie; and Judge Chiman Patel.
The class of 1974 will also be represented by Judge Eric Leach of the Supreme Court of Appeal; and Advocate Spiko Dickson who is a Senior Counsel based in Pietermaritzburg.
Law academics participating in the tree planting ceremony include Professor Jonathan Burchell and his mother Mrs Sheila Burchell, the grandson and daughter of the late Professor Frank Bruce Burchell who was affectionately known as ‘Binkie’ who taught law during the 1920s; Professor James Lund, a law graduate from the late 1960s and retired Professor of Law.
Ms Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi and law graduate of Salisbury Island in 1965; Ms Liz Beach and her son Mr Robert Beach, daughter and grandson of Advocate Selke who lectured in the Law Faculty from 1915 to 1919; and Mr Nigel Tatham from Tatham Wilkes Attorneys in Pietermaritzburg ‐ Mr Tatham's forefathers were part of the first class of the Law Faculty in 1910.
A book titled: Stella Iuris – Celebrating 100 Years of Teaching Law in Pietermaritzburg, will be launched after the Tree Planting Ceremony. The book was edited by UKZN Law academics Professors Michael Kidd and Shannon Hoctor and it is published by Juta Law.
This is a commemorative book marking the hundredth year in which law has been taught at the University in Pietermaritzburg. It details the history of the teaching of law in Pietermaritzburg, and gathers contributions from top academics connected in various ways with the Faculty of Law.
Issued by: Ms Nomonde Mbadi Executive Director: Corporate Relations Email: [email protected] Telephone: 031 260 7958 083 383 2123
Enquiries: Ms Hazel Langa College PRO: Law and Management Studies Email: [email protected] Telephone: (031) 260 2599 083 482 2322