The University of Pretoria has a proud tradition of rendering legal services to the community at the UP Law Clinic in Hatfield and Hammanskraal. It provides quality legal services to less privileged and often marginalised individuals who cannot afford them, while giving candidate legal practitioners the practical experience they require to complete their practical vocational training. It is a statutorily recognised legal aid clinic, which is certified and accredited by the Legal Practice Council.

The Hammanskraal office of the UP Law Clinic has been operational since 2001, and is indebted to Legal Aid South Africa (LASA) for the support it has provided the clinic for the past two decades. This support has enabled the Faculty of Law to cover the clinic’s staff and basic operational expenses. The current agreement between UP and LASA has been extended until 30 November 2024. However, current budget constraints are impacting on the extent of support it is able to provide.

Two of the staff members of the UP Law Clinic at Hammanskraal, Grace Kgoathe (secretary) with Sophi Diale (supervising attorney), and William Nkadimeng, an attorney at the UP Law Clinic at Hammanskraal.

The legal services provided at the Hammanskraal Law Clinic can be accessed free of charge by qualifying indigent residents of Temba, Hammanskraal and the outstretched surrounding rural areas to the north of Pretoria. It is situated adjacent to the Moretele Magistrate’s Court. The full-time staff members at the Law Clinic include a supervising attorney, three attorneys and two candidate attorneys, who assist clients with a variety of civil matters. This includes contractual and delictual disputes, evictions, maintenance matters, divorces and related family law matters like domestic violence, custody and the care of minor children.

According to Piet Breedt, an attorney at the UP Law Clinic, the Legal Practice Act stipulates that law clinics must meet certain criteria to render legal services to members of the community. “This includes the requirement that law clinics must apply annually to the Legal Practice Council for recognition to continue with their operations.” Following its latest application, the Hammanskraal office once again received recognition to operate as a law clinic in 2023. This means that its clients will continue to benefit from the professional services provided by the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Law.

Although the need for legal assistance in the community surrounding Hammanskraal and Temba currently exceeds the clinic’s available capacity, Mr Breedt assures residents that the UP Law Clinic will continue to play an indispensable role to ensure justice for its clients, despite its limited resources.