Some years ago, one of the University staff members was asked by a lawyer staff member to accompany her to the national Parliament in Cape Town. This was an exciting time for both. Not so many people, in general, get a chance to set their feet inside the national Parliament. A similar event happened to a staff member recently. Dr Karishma Singh, a Lecturer in the Department of Nature Conservation, and participant in the Future Professors Programmes (FPP), excitedly reported that she went to the Republic’s Constitutional Court with other FPP participants. The FPP is an initiative from the Department of Higher Education in collaboration with University of Johannesburg, to train South African academics towards obtaining their professorship. The other participants are from other South African Universities.
Dr Singh said that “as part of our 30 years democracy, we were given the opportunity to tour the Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa. We were given a brief history of the existence of the court, and its purpose. Standing in the highest court of South Africa is considered an honor for me because its establishment represented a pivotal moment in the country’s history, emphasizing justice, equality, and human rights,” said Dr Singh.
Dr Singh said the court had delivered landmark judgments that have advanced the rights of individuals and marginalized groups, promoting social justice and equality. The Court’s location at Constitution Hill, a former prison complex that housed political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, symbolizes the country’s journey from oppression to freedom and justice. To be given such an opportunity is rare,” said Dr Singh.