Yvonne Dausab, the newly appointed Minister of Justice in Namibia, has been in the justice and legal sector for nearly 20 years. She was admitted as a legal practitioner in Namibia in 2000 and has served, inter alia, as the regional coordinator of the Southern Africa Human Rights NGO-Network (SAHRINGON) from 2001 to 2005 in Lusaka, Zambia. She also served as a law lecturer and Deputy Dean at the University of Namibia from 2011 to 2015, and served as the Chairperson of the Law Reform and Development Commission from 2015 to 2020.

“I feel that I [have] come full circle in the Cabinet. Clearly the President knows how to scout talent, given his illustrious career as a politician and scholar. I am honoured and excited about the opportunity this portfolio presents,” adds Dausab, who obtained her LLM in Human Rights and African Democratisation at the University of Pretoria (UP) in 2001.

As a practising lawyer, Dausab took part in lobbying for the review of the Legal Practitioners Act to address how lawyers can use the law as a tool to enhance social justice. Often the advocacy work was directed to seek the indulgence of the minister responsible for justice. Now that she is a part of government, she takes responsibility within the Cabinet collective, but also has a Constitutional responsibility to manage the ministry that she is responsible for.

When asked what she is looking forward to changing and implementing in the judicial system, she says, “Increased provision of better and quality legal services [i.e. on matters of maintenance, management of deceased estates, application for protection orders in domestic violence cases, review of rape legislation, etc] and access to justice [provision of magistrates, prosecutors, access to government legal aid, increased pro bono work from members of the independent legal profession, establishment of a small claims court, provision of accessible courts for persons with disabilities, etc].”

Dausab says UP provided her with access to materials and resources that she needed as a postgraduate student. “During my studies I found that the interactive teaching methods of seminars and Socrates style lectures and presentation enhanced my speaking and presentation abilities. UP set me apart because I had the right energy. The learning environment was supportive and conducive,” she says.

“Alumni are the ambassadors of their alma mater. How we conduct ourselves, what we achieve in life and the quality of our work – which includes remaining involved with the communities we come from – reflects on the values that have been instilled by your alma mater. The role of the alumni is to market the alma mater and encourage more students to join the institution. Furthermore, to create opportunities for other alumni to join efforts to develop the brand, the infrastructure and body of knowledge of the institution continuously and in diverse ways.”

As a Minister, she hopes to build institutional capacity and to undertake a “fit for purpose” alignment of the Ministry’s staff; reaffirm the Ministry’s brand as that of servant leadership and justice for all; and provide quality legal services and a redefined understanding of access to justice in a liberal sense, that anchors on human rights.  

Dausab admits that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted her portfolio. “We are currently under a State of Emergency, it is done under the leadership of the President and guided under the provisions of the Constitution. My office and the Attorney General are central in managing the legal aspects of the regulations. During lockdown, court services – except in the case of first appearance, bail and appeals – were severely reduced but not closed.”

“The lockdown has contributed to backlogs that need clearance, but our social and economic activities have opened up, including the courts. The health protocols have significantly reduced the crowds and the traffic in civil courts. A number of us are on the forefront regularly to update and engage the public on various issues pertaining to COVID-19.”

She says that hard work, honesty and consistency are key. “Always use a framework of values that guide your work and interaction with other people. My values are honesty, integrity, awareness and compassion. Do not chase positions. Focus on developing yourself and being involved with your communities and social activities.”

At the time of publication Namibia had recorded no COVID-19-related deaths, but the number of confirmed cases were rising steadily, although still remaining quite low compared to other regions and the world at large.