Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Helping people make the law work for them
THE Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) has broken new legal ground by becoming the first such institution to offer a degree in law.
The Bachelor of Paralegal Studies has been welcomed by the law fraternity and will address the recognition that paralegals have not enjoyed, but also to address the issue of access to law.
The first 120 students of the three-year degree are already hard at work as classes commenced earlier this month.
Former constitutional court judge Albie Sachs said the introduction of the law degree was “extremely timely”.
“This is law at its most basic understanding. People can now be advised in a meaningful, humane and practical way,” said Sachs.
Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development John Jeffery said he hoped the degree would address restorative justice at a grassroots level.
“This degree is for people who do not necessarily want to become lawyers.
“I really hope that lawyers and the legal fraternity open their doors to students of this paralegal degree,” said Jeffery.
Senior prosecutor at the National Prosecuting Authority Christiaan de Jongh said the degree was a positive move towards giving paralegals “the recognition they deserve”.
“Currently, paralegals only assist attorneys with cases but they cannot appear in court.
“It is hoped that the Legal Practice Act may in the future grant paralegals the right of appearance,” said de Jongh.
Human rights attorney Ratula Beukman said very often paralegals were the first port of call for people in poorer communities.
“Paralegals are caring individuals. Very often they do not have the certificates or the degrees, but they are doing the work,” said Beukman.
Former director of
the Cape Law Society and practising attorney Ashraf Mahomed said the degree had “exceeded our expectations” and referred to himself as a “champion” of the course.
“People in poorer urban and rural communities can now work with qualified paralegals and it’s so much cheaper for them which promotes access to justice.
“Legal services are generally very expensive.”
He said the introduction of the degree was “a move in the direction to formalise the status of paralegals”.
Councillor at the Cape Law Society Rehana Khan Parker shared the views of her colleagues in the legal fraternity that the degree would bridge the gap and allow for greater access to justice.
“Paralegals reach out to people when lawyers cannot. It will also upskill people who have been working in the field but did not enjoy the same recognition.
“I am very excited about this,” said Khan Parker.
Designer of the course, advocate Noleen Leach, said: “You would be doing this programme a disservice if the assumption is that it is designed for the sole purpose of providing an assistant to an attorney.
“Although the programme caters for legal assistants to attorneys by including, for example, conveyancing procedure and business administration for paralegals, being a legal assistant to an attorney is not the main focus.”
The course took four years to plan and costs R83 164 for the three years.
Leach said for many in impoverished and disadvantaged communities the law was inaccessible, thus people had been left disempowered and were unable “to make the law work for them”.
“The challenge with legal education in the country is, in part, a reflection of the mismatch between the unmet legal needs of society and the legal services rendered. The focus still remains mostly on secondary legal services and criminal justice.”
The degree is also offered on a part-time basis and will be available at CPUT’s Bellville Campus.
Interested people can visit www.cput.ac.za for more information.
On October 31, the Legal Practice Act comes into effect and will spell out the status of all in the field.
‘People in poorer
so much cheaper’