Cape Bar's Scholarship for African Women 

The Cape Bar Council invites applications from suitably qualified African women who are desirous of doing pupillage in 2008, to apply to it for financial assistance during the term of pupillage. Candidates must be persons who have already been admitted and enrolled to practise as advocates in the Republic of South Africa or who will qualify to be so admitted before 15 January 2008. The scholarship contemplates the selection of three African women who are committed to practising as advocates at the Cape Bar and who have the potential of being successful in practice, but not possessed of the means to support themselves during the period of pupillage. The financial assistance for each of the successful candidates will be in the form of a monthly subsistence allowance of R5 000.00 for the twelve months of pupillage. Thereafter, each candidate who has successfully completed the National Bar Examination and taken up chambers at the Cape Bar, will receive a contribution towards the running expenses for the first year of practice. The Cape Bar Council hopes that the successful candidates will also benefit from the fair and equitable briefing policy that has been adopted by the Cape Bar. 

How to apply
Applications must be submitted to the Administrative Officer of the Cape Bar Council at the address below, by no later than 14 September 2007. Interested persons may obtain the approved forms for application for financial assistance, as well as application forms for admission to pupillage from the Cape Bar's website at www.capebar.co.za, or from:

Ms H Porter
Administrative Officer, Cape Bar Council , Ground Floor, Huguenot Chambers,
40 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, 8001.
Phone 021 424 2777. Fax: 021 423 2692.
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: capebar.co.za.


PLEASE NOTE: 

  • Applications that are not submitted on the approved forms will not be considered, nor will applications via e-mail be considered.
  • Only applicants who have applied for pupillage to the Cape Bar by the cut-off date indicated on the pupillage application form will be considered
  • Should a successful applicant elect not to join the Cape Bar after pupillage, despite being able to do so, or in the event that she leaves the Cape Bar within a period of three years from the date of commencement of practise as an advocate at the Cape Bar, she shall be liable to repay to the Cape Bar the total sum of the financial contribution received by her, or such an amount (not exceeding the amount of the contribution) as the Bar Council may determine.
  • The Cape Bar Council reserves the right not to choose any candidate for assistance should no suitable candidate make application, or to terminate or reduce the amount of financial assistance should it be of the opinion that it is appropriate to do so in relation to any successful candidate.

Download application here.

 

 

 

 

 

Clerks’ Alumni network

The clerks believe in the importance of fostering links between existing and former clerks of the Court. A platform like the Clerks’ Alumni Association allows existing and former clerks to maintain both professional and social links with one another, to share ideas and engage in dialogue. The work being initiated by the network thus far includes developing an up to date database of the former clerks, a Christmas charity fundraiser in December,an annual human rights day event,an intervarsity moot competition and networking evenings between former and existing clerks. 

The Association has been constituted as a Voluntary Association and registered with the Department of Trade and Industry: Non-Profit Directorate. The Constitution may be accessed on this link. 

The Management Committee

The Management Committee is set up as follows – the Chairperson (Okyerebea Ampofo-Anti), Vice-Chairperson (N Raboshakga), Secretary (L Chamberlain), Treasurer (L Govindsamy) and 3 other persons.
The current Management Committee members are: 

  • Okyerebea Ampofo-Anti was at the Court from January to December 2006 during which time she clerked for Chief Justice Pius Langa. Okyerebea is currently completing her articles at the Johannesburg office of Webber Wentzel Bowens. Okyerebea is the chairperson of the Association. 
  • Sharon Brink clerked for Justice Kate O'Regan from January to December 2006. Sharon is completing her LLM and is currently completing her articles with the Johannesburg office of Edward Nathan Sonnenburg. 
  • Lisa Chamberlain worked at the Court from January to December 2006 and clerked for Justice Skweyiya. Lisa is currently completing her articles at the Johannesburg offices of Cheadle Thompson & Haysom. 
  • Leanne Govindsamy was at the Court from January to December 2007 and clerked for Justice Madala. Leanne is currently completing her articles at the Johannesburg office of Cheadle Thompson & Haysom. 
  • Sha'ista Kazee worked at the Court from July 2006 to June 2007 and clerked for Justice Bess Nkabinde. Sha'ista is currently working as an associate at the Cape Town firm, Mallinicks Inc. 
  • Ngwako Raboshakga clerked for Justice Bess Nkabinde at the Court from January to December 2007. Ngwako is currently completing his LLM at Wits University, while a fellow at SAIFAC, the latter having granted him a scholarship for the LLM. 
  • Rebecca van Es completed her articles at the Cape Town office of Bowman Gilfillan in January 2008. She is currently clerking for Chief Justice Pius Langa. 
  • David completed his BA and LLB at the University of Cape Town, and his LLM at the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria. He is currently clerking for Justice Mokgoro. 
Contacting the Alumni network

To contact members of the Management Committee,kindly e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

 

 

Two scholarships, the Ismail Mahomed Fellowship and the Franklin Thomas Fellowship, for overseas study are administered each year by the Constitutional Court Trust. Calls for applications are made in August each year; the scholarships are then tenable from the following August. Only South African law clerks and former law clerks are eligible. The university or universities at which the scholarships are tenable may vary from year to year. 

How to apply
Applications should indicate the scholarship one is applying for and the year for which one wishes to be considered. Applications must be submitted by no later than 01 October each year (which is tenable the following year) and must also include as a minimum: 

  • a motivational cover letter;
  • a full curriculum vitae;
  • certified copies of academic records;
  • an example of written work;
  • two referees (one academic/professional and one personal) and their contact details; and
  • references regarding working experience and/or any special qualifications (if any). 


Applications should be emailed to Ms Elizabeth Moloto at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: +27 11 359 7444 

Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the application not being considered. 

Ismail Mahomed Fellowship
The Ismail Mahomed Fellowship for law clerks was established in honour of the former Chief Justice and made possible by a grant funded by a charitable organisation.
The purpose of the fellowship is to provide an opportunity for postgraduate study abroad to a South African candidate who has demonstrated a commitment to human rights and who has served as a law clerk at the Constitutional Court or Supreme Court of Appeal.
The fellowship is tenable for study towards an LLM degree at a foreign university, which is specified each year. Among the universities that have participated in this programme are Duke University, North Carolina and the University of Toronto. The fellowship covers travel, tuition and living expenses. 

Franklin Thomas Fellowship
The Franklin Thomas Fellowship for Constitutional Court law clerks is a fellowship established in honour of Franklin Thomas, the former president of the Ford Foundation. The fellowship was made possible by a grant funded by friends and colleagues of Franklin Thomas on his retirement from the foundation.
The purpose of the fellowship is to provide an opportunity for postgraduate study abroad to a South African candidate, preferably from a disadvantaged background, who has served as a law clerk at the Constitutional Court.
The fellowship is tenable for study towards an LLM degree at a foreign university, which is specified each year. Universities that have participated in this programme include the University of Michigan, Duke University and the University of Illinois at Saint Louis. The fellowship covers travel, tuition and living expenses.