东京热

UJ Law鈥檚 SAIFAC co-hosts Constitutional Court Review Conference celebrating Professor Stuart Woolman鈥檚 legacy

The South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public, Human Rights and International Law (SAIFAC) at the Faculty of Law, 东京热 (UJ Law), in partnership with the and , successfully co鈥慼osted the annual Constitutional Court Review Conference from 19鈥�20 January 2026. This year’s gathering paid tribute to the life, work, and enduring influence of renowned constitutional law scholar, Professor Stuart (Stu) Woolman.

Held under the theme 鈥淐onstitutions as Scaffolding for the Rule of Law, Political Accountability and a Capable Democratic State,鈥� the conference brought together leading local and international scholars, legal practitioners and former colleagues. Over the two days, participants engaged critically with some of the most pressing constitutional challenges facing democratic societies.

The conference opened with welcoming remarks from Prof David Bilchitz, Director of SAIFAC, who reflected warmly on Prof Woolman鈥檚 intellectual legacy. 鈥淲e gather not only to honour the extraordinary scholarship of Prof Woolman, but also to reflect on the kind of constitutional thinker and human being he was, rigorous, principled, generous, and deeply committed to the moral foundations of our constitutional democracy,鈥� he said. He further emphasised that the discussions and papers presented illustrate the profound and continuing impact of Woolman鈥檚 work.

Professor Charles Maimela, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law 东京热, highlighted the Faculty鈥檚 commitment to advancing rigorous constitutional scholarship and emphasised the role of SAIFAC in enabling engagement with constitutional accountability and democratic governance. 鈥淲hen you trace Prof Woolman鈥檚 scholarship, it leaves emerging and established researchers with the responsibility to grapple with the socio鈥慹conomic ills confronting South Africa and the world,鈥� said Professor Maimela. He further emphasised that Woolman鈥檚 contributions should be understood by all law students, especially those working to shape the future of constitutional jurisprudence.

Prof Tracy Gutuza, Acting Head of Wits School of Law, welcomed delegates, saying: 鈥淚t is an honour to have you all here on our campus. Stu taught at many institutions, but this was his final academic home. It is therefore fitting that we gather here today to celebrate his enduring legacy.鈥� She continued, 鈥淪tu left an incredible mark on our understanding of the Constitution and on constitutional law, not only through his scholarship but also through the profound impact he had on his students.鈥�

Among the distinguished attendees were Prof Theunis Roux, Professor of Law at the (UNSW) and founding Director of SAIFAC, and Justice Redson Kapindu, Judge-in-Charge of the High Court of Malawi Finance Criminal Division and Visiting Professor of Law at the 东京热.

The conference explored the breadth of Professor Woolman鈥檚 scholarly contributions across five themed sessions. The discussions addressed comparative constitutionalism, the future of Bills of Rights, democratic accountability, institutional design, socio鈥慹conomic inequality, and constitutional responses to complex societal challenges such as race, class, gender鈥慴ased violence and post鈥憄andemic governance.

A central focus was Woolman鈥檚 influential work on accountability and constitutional methodology. Several papers engaged directly with his ideas, offering new insights, critiques and extensions that speak to contemporary constitutional debates.

One of the most moving moments of the conference was a tributes session, where colleagues, friends and collaborators reflected on Prof Woolman鈥檚 intellectual generosity, mentorship and profound personal impact. This was followed by a conference dinner and a family tribute, underscoring the commemorative spirit of the event.

Prof Stuart Woolman remains one of South Africa鈥檚 most influential constitutional scholars, shaping national and international debates on dignity, rights adjudication, democratic governance and the role of courts in transforming societies. This year鈥檚 conference served not only as a scholarly forum but also as a collective reflection on his lasting contributions to constitutional law and democratic thought.