College of Law
College of Law hosts its Annual Spring Conference
Unisa's College of Law is hosting its Annual Spring Law Conference starting today, the 27th, to the 28th of October, under the theme Marikana massacre as the spiderweb of colonialism and imperialism in post-independence Afrika and post-1994 South Afrika.
This year marks nine years since the inaugural launch of the Spring Law Conference. The conference promises to be a festival of ideas with a solid lineup of speakers, including Zwelinzima Vavi of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), Nelvis Qekema of the Azanian People's Organisation (AZAPO) and Advocate Muzi Sikhakhane SC. The Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Unisa, Prof Puleng LenkaBula, is also expected to grace the conference.
Adv Muzi Sikhakhane SC articulates matters of the judiciary at the Annual Spring Law Conference
The conference will also receive several presentations in the form of abstracts from academics and students. In addition, there will be plenary discussions and breakaway sessions to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the country. Participants will share their perspectives and experiences in assessing post-independence Africa through the bloodied lens of the Marikana massacre, which happened ten years ago.
The year 2022 cements 28 years of freedom in South Africa after the landmark inclusive elections of the 27th of April 1994. In his inauguration speech on the 10th of May 1994, former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela said: "Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud."
Marikana reflections
An entire decade since the Marikana massacre happened in 2012 generates and raises critical questions today from diverse philosophical perspectives. These perspectives include criminal justice, history, constitutionalism, human rights, politics, spirituality, law and human rights, economics, land ownership, governance and ethics.
The Marikana massacre further serves as a spiderweb reflecting the complexity of the age-old question of white supremacy and domination, which consistently manifests itself in various ways, including slavery, neo-colonialism, racism and imperialism. These thrive in the conducive season of the runaway (global) capitalism system.
Despite the promise of freedoms in the Constitution of South Africa (1996), Marikana has glaringly exposed and unmasked issues of inequality in labour and remuneration, elusive liberty, and skewed wealth and ownership patterns under the neo-apartheid capitalist system 28 years after Mandela's inaugural speech. What role can the law play in this crisis?
Join the conference
The conference is in a hybrid format, with the plenary sessions scheduled to take place at the Senate Hall, Winnie Madikizela Mandela Building. The virtual sessions will be streamed on YouTube and Microsoft teams.
Unisa Radio will also broadcast the conference live, with constant live feeds on the College of Law's Facebook page.
To join the conference on YouTube, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh8F1ZXCBLY
* By Ngwako Mokgotho; Communications and Marketing Specialist, College of Law
Publish date: 2022/10/27
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