Publications (Books)

The Centre for Child Law was involved in the following publications relating to Child Law issues:

Child Law in South Africa
Trynie Boezaart

Child Law in South Africa is the updated and greatly expanded successor to Introduction to Child Law in South Africa (2000). In recent years child law has developed into a well-defined field, both in legal practice and in research. Child Law in South Africa, with its eighteen new and seven entirely updated chapters, is intended as a source of first reference for all legal questions pertaining to children.

This publication is, amongst others, aimed at addressing some of the burning issues that are frequently dealt with in a multi-disciplinary way. It provides insight into the profound influence of recent legislation – e.g. the Children’s Act 38 of 2005, the Child Justice Act 75 of 2008 and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007 – and comments on ground-breaking case law and the latest research findings in the field.

Written by 23 experts in the field, Child Law in South Africa reflects the enormous scope and dynamics involved in child law and is sure to encourage further debate and analysis.

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Justice for child victims and witnesses of crime
Edited by the Centre for Child Law

Child victims and witnesses of crime are amongst the most vulnerable people in the justice system. The United Nations issued guidelines for their protection in 2005. This publication sets out the guidelines in the South African context.

Does South African law reflect these guidelines? What are the challenges to be faced in order to bring South African law and practice in line with these international standards? Answers to these questions are provided in this up-to-date analysis of the current state of the law.

This publication is a useful guide for students of law, as well as for practitioners who work with children in the courts. Launched during the internationally recognised “16 days of activism to end violence against women and children”, the publication is designed to be of assistance in the everyday working life of presiding officers, prosecutors, defence lawyers, social workers, intermediaries and other professionals.

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Read more about this publication on the Pretoria University Law Press (PULP) website

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Latest News

Mud schools to get millions rand revamp
6 February 2011

It has taken all of 17 years, but the pupils and staff at Tembeni Senior Primary School have finally been guaranteed a proper school. On Friday afternoon the Eastern Cape department of education reached an R8-billion out-of-court settlement with seven schools, of which Tembeni is one. The schools had taken the department to court to force it to provide adequate resources. Most of the schools were built from mud and lacked the most basic resources.

Ann Skelton, director of the Centre for Child Law who took up the schools case, said yesterday although only seven schools had brought a case against the department, they were fighting on behalf of all inadequate schools. “It means that finally when the process is completed the children will be taught in decent schools. It is what they should have had all along. We were simply getting their basic rights for them. “There have been promises before, but now I have more faith that it will happen,” Skelton said.

Sarah Shepton from the Legal Resources Centre in Grahamstown, acting on behalf of the Centre for Child Law, said: “Our clients are relieved and delighted with the outcome of the litigation and intend to keep a close eye on the developments, so that promises are not broken.”
Granville Whittle, director of communications in the department of basic education, said the national department would take over the responsibility of providing infrastructure to schools in dire need, as part of its accelerated school infrastructural development initiative.