Final-year LLB students from the University of Limpopo celebrated the receipt of certificates for their exceptional involvement in a court-based mediation programme aimed at enhancing access to justice. Photos: Phishego Mohubedu
By Lesego Maaba – ulpublications@ul.ac.za
The University of Limpopo (UL), through its School of Law, recently held a Community Engagement Certificate Ceremony to honour final-year law students who successfully participated in a court-based mediation programme
This initiative focuses on traditional and community-related cases, serving as a crucial link between academic learning and real-world access to justice.
The ceremony recognised the students’ contributions to community justice and their role in supporting the formal legal system through peaceful dispute resolution. As part of their Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) module, final-year LLB students engage in this mediation programme at the Mankweng High Court. Launched in August 2013 by Judge Jane Tsakane Ngobeni of the Limpopo Division of the High Court, the programme has become a flagship collaboration between the judiciary and the university.
Since its inception, 137 students have participated in the programme, resulting in 77 cases presented and 44 cases successfully mediated. These outcomes not only demonstrate the programme’s positive impact on communities but also highlight its effectiveness in producing graduates with practical skills and a profound understanding of restorative justice. Notably, this court-based mediation initiative is unique to UL, establishing a distinctive academic and community partnership within the South African higher education landscape.
In her keynote address, Judge Ngobeni, the programme’s founder, described the initiative as one of her proudest contributions to the legal profession. She emphasised that by integrating mediation into legal education, UL has created a model that provides early exposure to the justice system and cultivates future legal practitioners who prioritise resolution over litigation.
“My most significant contribution to the legal profession and the pursuit of justice in South Africa has been through both my judgments and my commitment to nurturing young legal minds,” she stated.
Judge Ngobeni further explained that the UL mediation programme was inspired by UC Hastings University in San Francisco, USA, and was designed to allow students to mediate real community cases at the Mankweng Small Claims Court. She personally supervises the students twice a week during court sessions to ensure they receive quality mentorship and hands-on experience.
“This programme equips students with practical skills and confidence while serving communities that often struggle to access justice,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Mheho Rivombo, a final-year LLB student, expressed her profound gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the programme. She noted that the experience had significantly shaped her professional identity and sense of social responsibility.
“This programme has equipped us not only with certificates but also with practical skills, values, and professional ethics. The mentorship and teachings of Judge Ngobeni have inspired us to view the law not just as a profession but as a tool to empower others,” Rivombo said.
Delivering the keynote address, Judge Jane Tsakane Ngobeni, founder of the court-based mediation programme, commends the University of Limpopo’s final-year LLB students for their role in promoting access to justice through community-based dispute resolution.