The University of the Western Cape's (UWC) Faculty of Law has successfully launched the African Student Law Journal, a monumental achievement two years in the making. 

This journal is a testament to the dedication of students, lecturers, and researchers who worked tirelessly to defy the odds and create a platform that will make a significant contribution to South African legal scholarship. 

The inaugural issue, which was officially published on September 3, features seven articles meticulously researched and written by law students from across the continent. The editor-in-chief expressed optimism, stating that the goal is to publish three more issues before the end of the year.

The launch of the journal was met with excitement from the UWC Law Faculty's Deputy Dean for Postgraduate and Research, Prof Benyam Mezmur. He spoke highly of the journal and praised the students for publishing their papers. Prof Mezmur explained that the idea for the journal came from discussions that took place at the faculty several years ago.

"At that point, the feeling was that we already have one, at one of the neighbouring universities, so we may perhaps tap into that opportunity, and we left it like that. But fast forward a few years, and the feeling has actually changed. We felt that we actually needed to provide this platform for our students, but also to the students from the neighbouring institutions,” said Prof Mezmur.

He further elaborated that the journal is a key component of the law faculty's strategic plan for research.

“Research is everybody’s business, it’s not just lecturers or researchers at the different units or institutes. We feel that, to provide that platform as we move forward, it is something that fits very neatly, as part of this university, and where it's headed,” said Prof Mezmur.

A standout contributor to the inaugural issue is Amoyoli Kalimashe, who, along with her co-authors Tebelo Matlatla, Mothepana Mashala, Nosicelo Mankomo, and Tania Twangu, penned a compelling legal research paper on the concept of prodigality.

"Throughout our school career, we’ve been vehemently told about the importance of critiquing the law and that is what we sought to do in our research paper. We critique the inconsistencies of the application of prodigality and examine whether this concept continues to have a place in our legal system- is it due for reform, or do we abolish the system entirely? That question is answered in our research paper. If you’d like to give it a read,” said Kalimashe.

Dr Carmel Jacobs, a senior lecturer and the journal’s editor-in-chief, revealed that work on the publication began in 2023. She shared her long-standing frustration as a research supervisor: seeing the valuable work of her students go unnoticed beyond the confines of the university.

"I just decided, we’ve been doing this every year, when we write articles, they get published. Something happens, there’s some sort of reward that is borne from a publication or spending that much time on a paper,” said Dr Jacobs.

The inspiration for the journal came in 2023 when she was asked to review an article for the Pretoria Student Law Review. The experience sparked a thought: “Why don’t we have something like this?” Dr Jacobs conducted some research and discovered that a similar publication at Stellenbosch University had fallen into "disuse." She also noted that the Pretoria journal was entirely student-run, an approach she felt was “a little ambitious,” though she was willing to take on the initiative herself.

The journey to publication was not without its challenges. Dr Jacobs admitted that there were many times over the past two years when she wanted to “throw in the towel.” The main obstacle was that students could only work on the project in their spare time.

“You had to put an article on ice, sometimes for months. And you have to ask yourself whether this was going to see the light of day. So 2023 became 2024 and then 2024 became 2025, and the dean is saying, 'What’s the plan? When are we going to see an issue?' We kept on setting goals as the editorial team, and those goals just kept on being moved and moved. But I’m very proud to say that we are finally at the point where we have an inaugural issue. Our goal was five articles; we’ve surpassed ourselves…I am immensely grateful for the editorial team and the staff that were involved in this initiative, who overcame their irritation with the emails I sent, asking for their progress,” said Dr Jacobs.

Dr Jacobs’ unwavering commitment to the project stems from her desire to see students reach their full potential. She believes that an LLB degree is no longer sufficient on its own and that students must make themselves more attractive to prospective employers.

“A publication seems to add to that when they look at you. Just having an LLB is no longer enough and I’m glad that the team that I have been fortunate enough to work with has taken this role up,” said Dr Jacobs.