Book Launch: 'Public Interest Litigation in South Africa', Jason Brickhill (ed)

Jason Brickhill, the contributing editor of 'Public Interest Litigation in South Africa (2018), will discuss the book in conversation with Kate O'Regan, Director of the Bonavero Institute and former Judge of the South African Constitutional Court, Helen Mountfield QC, Principal of Mansfield College and Barrister at Matrix Chambers and Jeff King, Professor of Law at UCL.

The recently published volume, offers grounded accounts of the campaigns, cases, and causes that have defined key areas of public interest litigation in South Africa since the constitutional transition in 1996. The 20 authors are leaders in the field and share their perspectives on the struggles led by communities, activists, and civil society organisations to realise the vision of the Constitution.

Part One of the book reviews the history of public interest litigation, the public interest sector today, public interest litigation in the context of international law, the ethics and politics of public interest litigation, and procedural aspects of public interest litigation. Part Two addresses public interest litigation in 10 key areas of law: property rights, gender, basic services, health care, LGBTI equality, children’s rights, basic education, freedom of expression, access to information, and prisoners’ rights.

'Public Interest Litigation in South Africa' seeks to share some of the stories of what has been achieved in the courts, beyond the well-trodden, landmark appellate decisions, as a contribution to informed and critical engagement with litigation as a site for struggle.