By: Phenyo Mokgothu and Sthembiso Seyama
North-West University (NWU) law student Tshepiso Given Mabitsela is preparing to take his leadership journey to the international stage after being selected to represent South Africa in Turkey.
Competition for water resources has become a reality in South Africa. With about 98% of South Africa’s available water resources already allocated, the country’s water challenge is no longer simply about finding new sources. It is increasingly about how the law protects, allocates and, when necessary, reallocates a scarce resource among competing users.
By Michelle Hammann
The North-West University (NWU) Law Clinic hosted a gala dinner in celebration of its 45th anniversary at The Roots in Potchefstroom. The law clinic on the NWU Potchefstroom Campus was opened on 5 August 1981 as a centre of the Faculty of Law. It is focused on providing free legal services, training for law students and paralegals, skills development for community members and advisory assistance.
"Every young person deserves the opportunity to learn from life's lessons without having to live through its harshest consequences." It was this belief that inspired the North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom Law Clinic's Prison Alert: Youth Crime Awareness Programme, an initiative that gave learners the opportunity to see the reality of life behind bars and encouraged them to choose a future built on hope, responsibility and good decision-making.
For the learners of Ikalafeng Special School in Ikageng, Potchefstroom, Mandela Day was about more than giving back. It was an opportunity to learn, connect and celebrate while being reminded that every child has the right to feel safe, respected and heard.
Students from four universities across South Africa participated in a legal argument that challenged their strategic thinking and courtroom advocacy.
The 2026 Inter-Varsity Moot Court Competition, hosted by the NWU’s Law Clinics, united student teams from the North-West University, University of Limpopo, University of Venda, and the Vaal University of Technology to argue a fictional case.
The Faculty of Law at the North-West University (NWU) continues to make a significant contribution to the development of South African jurisprudence, with Prof. Boitumelo “Tumi” Mmusinyane playing a pivotal role in a landmark High Court judgment that considered whether a surrogacy agreement is compatible with customary law.
The North-West University (NWU) has opened a new Law Clinic building on its Mahikeng Campus, expanding free legal services for qualifying members of the public while strengthening practical legal training for future legal practitioners.
According to the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Andries Nel, the legal profession is a public service and a calling rather than simply a career.
Addressing law students at a career expo held as part of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mandela Day programme, he emphasised the importance of purpose and integrity when pursuing a career in law.
For law students, the new dedicated Law Clinic building on the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) will turn legal theory into real-world practice. For members of the public, private consultation rooms ensure privacy and dignity.
These are some of the benefits that students and the public will experience when the Faculty of Law officially opens its new Mahikeng Law Clinic building on 30 July 2026.