Three new heads of department in the Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law announced the appointment of three new heads of department.

Prof Trynie Davel, previous Director of the Centre for Child Law since its establishment in 1998, was appointed as Head of the Department of Private Law. Prof Davel an expert in child law and her fields of interest also includes the law of damages, delict and education law. Her most recent book Commentary on the Children's Act, of which she is co-editor and co-author, is published by Juta and will be launched on 24 October 2007.

Prof Frans Viljoen was appointed as the Director of the Centre for Human Rights. The Centre functions as an academic department in the Faculty of Law. Prof Viljoen is an internationally recognised authority on human rights. His most recent publication is International Human Rights Law in Africa, published by Oxford University Press.

Prof Stefan van Eck was appointed as Head of the Department of Mercantile Law. He is an expert in labour law and has recently returned from teaching at the Sourbonne University in Paris.

According to Prof Christof Heyns, Dean of the Faculty of Law, the Faculty is privileged to have access to the services of such distinguished academic leaders. “This will help to take the Faculty forward in our pursuit of excellence. We are poised for renewal on many fronts, and we see it as our duty to contribute to role that law plays in our society through the quality of the education we offer.”