History in the Making as UNIVEN Law Students Outshine South African Universities at 2025 African Human Rights Moot Court

In a historic achievement, law students trained and coached by the University of Venda’s School of Law and the Ismail Mahomed Centre for Human and Peoples’ Rights (IMCHPR) outshone participants from other universities in the 2025 Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court Competition, securing first place nationally and fifth overall out of 41 African universities in the English memorial category. This marks a significant milestone for UNIVEN, its highest placement ever in this prestigious continental competition.

Representing UNIVEN at the 2025 competition were Nyasha Mabuwa, Ritshidze Mudau, and Ndamulelo Ramawa, who competed against top-performing law students from across Africa. The team was accompanied and supported by Dr Crystal Mokoena and Mr Nkosinathi Mzolo, who also served as judges in the preliminary rounds. Coaching was provided by Dr Mokoena and Mr Mzolo, in collaboration with Prof Ademola Jegede, Director of the IMCHPR, and Ms Cornelia van Graan.

The Christof Heyns Moot Court, the largest human rights moot competition in Africa, brings togeth-er law students, academics, and judges from across the continent to argue hypothetical human rights cases before a simulated African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The competition, held annually, aims to cultivate the next generation of African lawyers equipped to defend and advance human rights on the continent.
This year’s event, hosted by the University of Cape Town, featured more than 70 universities across English, French, and Portuguese language categories. Participating institutions were assessed based on both written memorials and oral advocacy. UNIVEN’s stellar performance in the memo-rials category not only placed it ahead of all other South African universities, beating the University of the Free State (7th) and Nelson Mandela University (10th) but also showcased its growing prom-inence in legal scholarship and human rights advocacy on the continent.
Beyond the accolades, the experience offered UNIVEN students invaluable insights, practical le-gal training, and mentorship through feedback from esteemed judges. It has strengthened their knowledge of African human rights frameworks and sharpened their advocacy skills, setting a strong foundation for future legal excellence.
The Executive Dean of the Faculty of Management, Commerce and Law at the University of Venda, Prof Barwa Kanyane, congratulates Nyasha Mabuwa, Ritshidze Mudau, and Ndamulelo Ramawa for their outstanding achievement in securing first position in South Africa and fifth overall in the English category of memorials at the 2025 Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court Com-petition. This historic accomplishment marks a significant milestone for UNIVEN and showcases the students’ excellence in legal writing and advocacy. The Executive Dean also commends the dedicated support and mentorship provided by Dr Crystal Mokoena, Mr Nkosinathi Mzolo, Prof Ademola Jegede, and Ms Cornelia van Graan, whose guidance played a vital role in this success. This achievement reaffirms the School of Law’s commitment to academic excellence, transforma-tion, and leadership in human rights education across Africa, highlighted Prof Kanyane.

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University of Venda
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