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17 May 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo iStock
Africa Reparation Hub Launch 2024
Join us as we unite to confront the challenges of our past and pave the way for a more just and equitable future for all Africans.

The Department of Public Law at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Faculty of Law is proud to announce the launch of the UFS Africa Reparation Hub alongside a colloquium centred around the theme Unifying Africa for Action to Advance Reparatory Justice.

Date: 6 June 2024

Time: 11:00-16:00

Venue : Microsoft Teams; join the event here

Click to view documentClick here to RSVP and here for more information and speakers.

The pursuit of reparations for historical and contemporary injustices in Africa has gathered significant momentum. From the adoption of the African Union resolution advocating a united front to the push for reparations of past atrocities, the continent is asserting its demand for justice. This drive traces its roots back to historical landmarks like the Abuja Proclamation of 1993 and the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action in 2001.

Launch of the hub

Aligned with the UFS Vision 130, the university has established the UFS Africa Reparation Hub to serve as a nucleus for frank discussions on Africa's reparations. It houses a comprehensive database of resources on the subject and is poised to host expert groups dedicated to furthering the cause.

The Colloquium

The faculty invites academics, policymakers, human rights advocates, justice professionals, and representatives from international, regional, and national bodies to the colloquium which will precede the launch of the hub. This virtual gathering aims to foster dialogue and action toward reparatory justice in Africa. Thereafter, attendees will witness the official launch of the UFS Africa Reparation Hub, marking a significant step forward in the continent’s journey towards healing and restitution.

Leading voices on reparatory justice

In an eagerly awaited keynote address, Prof Verene Shepherd, the esteemed Director of the Centre for Reparations Research at the University of West Indies, Jamaica, is poised to set the stage for a thought-provoking discussion on reparatory justice. Joining her will be a distinguished line-up of speakers including Prof Serges Kamga (Dean of the Faculty of Law at the UFS); Martin Okumu-Masiga (Secretary-General of the Africa Judges and Jurists Forum); Dr Ahmed Bugri (Senior Expert and Coordinator for Reparatory Justice and Racial Healing at the African Union); and Prof Kula Theletsane (Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Affairs in Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Dr Catherine Namakula, Convenor of the Africa Reparation Hub, is anticipated to moderate the discussion, guiding the conversation towards actionable strategies for advancing reparations and fostering racial healing across Africa and beyond.

News Archive

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development to deliver prestige lecture at the UFS
2013-10-08

Minister Jeff Radebe, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, will deliver a lecture in the Prestige Series of the Dean in the Faculty of Law at the UFS on Access to Justice.

Thursday 17 October 2013
18:00
CR Swart Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus
 

Please RSVP before or on Monday 14 October 2013 to Aldi Lombard, +27(0)51 401 2319 or lombarda1@ufs.ac.za.

We kindly refer you to the short CV of Jeffrey Thamsanqa Radebe.

Radebe holds a BIuris degree from the University of Zululand obtained in 1976; LLM in International Law from Leipzig University obtained in 1981. He also studied at the Lenin International School, Moscow, in 1985.

Radebe became a student activist and joined the underground structures of the African National Congress (ANC) during the student uprisings in 1976. He was active in the organisation and was arrested and convicted under the Terrorism Act. He served his jail sentence on Robben Island. After his release in 1990, he held several leadership positions within the ANC and the South African Communist Party.

Following the democratic elections in 1994, Radebe held ministerial positions in the Departments of Public Works, Public Enterprises and Transport. In 2009 Radebe was appointed as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, a position that he currently still holds. Among his many achievements, Radebe received an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters from the Chicago State University in 1996.

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