The DGRU is one of Africa’s leading research centres in the area of judicial governance. Our research is solution-driven, aimed at providing policy and practice recommendations. Our research agenda is informed by our own observations or by stakeholder requests. Currently our core focus is the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

In 2019 – 2021 we will be engaged in research around judicial independence, appointments and conduct issues in the superior and the lower courts.

Other key projects include:

• Providing access to a team of UCT -based research assistants who are available to provide legal opinions and reseach materials to judges on request.
• Conducting fact finding missions in countries where there are challenges to judicial independence in order to assist in finding workable solutions.
• Providing technical assistance to South Africa’s judicial appointments watchdog civil society campaign, Judges Matter.
• Conducting data-driven research to compile statistics and identify trends in support of an effective justice sector.

We have also established a Law and Technology Lab at UCT which uses research into the combined fields of law and technology to address a number of justice challenges and to prepare law students for the future work place.