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UCT RESEARCH REPORT 2012
T
he centre presents an opportunity to develop a discipline that lends itself to
optimal application in the pluralistic legal frameworks within which life is lived in
Africa. In its mission to contribute to the development of comparative law in Africa,
the strategy of the CCLA is to establish the field at UCT, build capacity in it across
the continent through academic programmes, apply comparative law expertise in
consultancies and disseminate new knowledge in comparative law in Africa through
conferences, publications and professional networks.
Its location within the Department of Commercial Law recognises the centrality of
comparative law to ongoing efforts at economic integration on the African continent.
The CCLA offers an LLM in Comparative Law and conducts research on a variety of
themes that apply the comparative methodology. Its innovative LLM course, Chinese
Law and Investments in Africa, launching as a bloc course in September 2013, has
attracted many students. Currently the centre is involved in a collaborative research
project on mineral law and policy in three southern African countries (Namibia,
Botswana and Zambia) under the UCT PERC Africa Knowledge Project and is also
hosting a project on Eritrean land law.
Mineral Law in Africa
The aim of the mineral law for Africa project is to create a systematic, academic
commentary on mining and mineral laws in Africa, starting with a selection of Southern
African countries which present comparative case studies in relation to South Africa. The
choice of the research subject is located within the key goals of PERC, namely, to develop
a collaborative research-based team, establish research collaboration with academic
colleagues in other African universities and generate research findings that are relevant
to Africa and which reflect its situational realities.
Centre for
Comparative Law In
Africa
The Centre for Comparative Law inAfrica (CCLA) was established
in 2011 to promote the study of comparative law and draw on
the strengths of comparative methodology to research into the
multifaceted field of law in Africa.