Judges in Africa are faced with many challenges. Although most African countries have the formal institutional trappings of democracy, including courts with power of judicial review, de facto judicial independence, however, is frequently undermined. Many African states are characterised by executive dominance and respect for the rule of law is often weak.

To have a strong, independent and accountable system of justice you need good judges who are capable of delivering transformative judgments. Given the current constraints that many judges in Africa face once appointed, in terms of access to legal precedents and especially comparative and international law, as well as the infrastructural limitations of poor ICT connectivity and limited research support, it is hard for judges – old and new – to ‘push the envelope’ in terms of their judicial writing and, therefore, jurisprudential development.
 
The DGRU has embarked on a project that seeks to support judges in the SADC region in different ways. The project aims to build a cadre of relatively young, progressive-minded judges who will be supported through a number of means:

Virtual Research Assistants

The DGRU has a team of post-graduate UCT students available to conduct research ‘virtually’ for judges in the region. Students are based at UCT and supervised by the DGRU researchers.

High Court Internship Programme

This is offered through the DGRU and the Office of the Chief Justice at the Gauteng, KZN and Western Cape High Courts. Recent Law graduates are appointed to a court for a year with a monthly stipend of R9000 . 

Public Support

Either in cooperation with others or as an organisation we provide public support where needed, through media statements, op-eds, etc. in particular situations where individual judges or particular judiciaries are threatened or challenged