Mr. Paul Antohnie

The Walter Sisulu Law Clinic (previously known as Unitra Legal Aid Clinic) is a flagship community engagement project in Faculty of Law, Humanities, Social Science at the Walter Sisulu University (former University of Transkei) and was founded in March 1996.

Its main purpose is to assist the indigent people (Communities) of the former Transkei Region with their legal problems. Thus, legal advice is given and Court appearances are made by the Law Clinic on behalf of the said indigent people. The Clinic is the only law clinic in the entire Transkei Region which comprises of not less than 24 Districts.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES

• Render free legal services only to the indigent members of society, who, ordinarily cannot financially afford to pay legal fees of Private Legal Practitioners and qualify for these services based on our financial means test;

• Training Law Students-Clinical Legal Education; and

• The training of Candidate Attorneys.

VISION

• To assist indigent communities who cannot afford to pay exorbitant legal fees of private legal practitioners.

• Assist law students with Clinical Legal Education, which entails the practical legal training of final year law students.  Students receive practical legal training under the strict supervision of the qualified practitioners and candidate attorneys by drafting letters, legal documents and by writing legal opinions and consulting with clients.  In this way, the students provide additional access to justice to the public by assisting indigent members of society over and above those who are assisted by the professional attorneys and candidate attorneys.  

• To train and empower the candidate attorneys, by preparing candidate attorneys for the practical challenges of serving Practical Vocational Training contracts. We aim to develop and empower candidate attorneys with the necessary practical skills in addition to the theoretical knowledge necessary to become esteemed members of the legal profession. We do so by focusing on the concept of continuous support through supervision and offering access to practical workshops in order to grow highly competent and skilled legal professionals.

• To back-up legal services to paralegals, Community Advice Offices through community workshops, networking and advocacy.

MISSION

Our mission clearly states as one of its primary objectives, the rendering of services to the indigent community members.

The WSLC is located and operating in the poorest region in South Africa. Not only is the population in this former homeland which is largely rural and experiencing high rate of unemployment as the larger part of it has no access to that most fundamental Human Rights-the right to access to justice, that is a needed for protection, fulfilment, and realisation of all other human rights.

As the WSLC, we go the extra mile to assist our community towards realisation of this objective.

CONTACT DETAILS

Name           : Walter Sisulu Law Clinic (WSULC)

Address       : iUnivesithi Walter Sisulu University

                     Block C

                     Nelson Mandela Drive Campus

                          Zamukulungisa Site

                     Private Bag X1 Unitra 5117

                     Mthatha

                     5099

Phone           :047 502 1520

E-Mail           : lawclinic@wsu.ac.za