south african university law clinics association
169-685 NPO
SAULCA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Meet the team
DAVEN DASS
President of SAULCA
Daven is the President of the South African University Law Clinics Association (SAULCA). SAULCA is a voluntary association of all South African University Law Clinics. He is the former Director of the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) Law Clinic, which is attached to the School of Law, at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg where he currently holds the position of senior lecturer and the supervising attorney of the General unit of the law clinic.
In addition he is actively involved in continued legal education through his association with the Law Society’s Legal Education and Development (LEAD) program, through his course directing, lecturing and updating of course material and is also a board of control member for the LEAD Johannesburg School for Legal Practice. He has also served as a steering committee member of the Global Alliance for Justice Education (GAJE). More recently he is also actively involved in the development and expansion of clinical programmes in Africa, particularly Zimbabwe.
Daven has published and presented both domestically and internationally in the field of clinical legal education and is currently pursuing his PhD.
Years in practice: 16
Interest in social justice/ students: I thrive on enabling and empowering individuals to realise their potential as well as using the law as a tool to ameliorate prejudice.
Why SAULCA: It allows me to learn and work alongside clinicians with such infectious passion and enthusiasm but also it gives me the ability to carry on the legacy of all those who came before me especially Meneer Schalk Meyer.
Something interesting about yourself: I am a Manchester United and Kaizer Chiefs supporter.
Anything extra that you wish to include: I believe in the glass half full and always believe that amidst the most difficult of situations there is always a glimmer of hope.
Shamiel jassiem
Treasurer of SAULCA
Shamiel Jassiem is the Director of the Law Clinic and Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Cape. He holds an LLB and LLM (Constitutional Law) degree.
He is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and specializes in criminal law and has served on the SAULCA executive previously. He was the president of SAULCA for the 2018-2019 term and a trustee of the AULAI Trust.
Chrisna nicholson
Vice President of SAULCA
Chrisna started her legal career at the Law Clinic as a candidate attorney. She firmly believes that clinicians have the most gratifying job as we provide hope and access to justice to those who would not otherwise be able to afford it. She has a masters degree in Labour Law.
Her areas of interest includes: civil litigation and specifically matters affecting the care and well-being of children.University Law Clinic (and position): North-West University, Potchefstroom Law Clinic, Director.
Years in practice: 15 years
Interest in law clinics: Clinical legal education, access to justice, justice for children, staff development.
Interest in social justice/ students: inculcating awareness of social justice issues experienced by poor and vulnerable members of society.
Why SAULCA: to provide a support base for all Law Clinics and clinicians thereby ensuring that all law graduates have adequate knowledge and practical experience for entry into the legal profession.
Something interesting about yourself: I am passionate about nature conservation and am a member of the SANParks Honorary Rangers. I also coach Ringball at the North-West University and district and national level.
Zaida essop
General Secretary of SAULCA
Mrs. Zadia Essop was appointed as the Director of the UCT Law Clinic in September 2024. With a strong academic and practical foundation in law, she brings a wealth of experience in both legal practice and legal education. Zaida holds an LLB and an LLM in International Child Law, both of which were obtained from North West University, Potchefstroom Campus. Her academic journey laid the groundwork for her diverse career in the legal field, focusing on family law, civil litigation, and child law.
Before her appointment as Director of the UCT Law Clinic, Zaida served as a Lecturer at North West University, where she taught courses in Civil Procedure and Legal Practice. In this role, she was responsible for imparting critical legal skills to students, preparing them for practical legal careers.
Prior to her lecturing role, Zaida worked as a Clinician at the North West University Law Clinic, where she provided free legal services to marginalized communities in the North West Province. She was actively involved in access to justice initiatives, advocating for vulnerable individuals and families, particularly in family disputes and children’s court matters.
In addition to her practical legal expertise, Zaida is a qualified mediator in family law matters, further reinforcing her commitment to resolving family disputes through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Her research interests lie in several key areas, including Family Law, Child Law, Education Rights of Children, Civil Procedure, Access to Justice, and Clinical Legal Education. Zaida is passionate about advancing legal education, particularly through the use of clinical legal education programs that empower students and provide essential services to communities in need.
eddie hanekom
Additional Member of the SAULCA Executive Committee
Mr. Eddie Hanekom is the current Director of the University of Pretoria Law Clinic. He holds the degrees B Juris (NWU) LLB LLM (with distinction) (UP), and the LSSA Certificate in Divorce Mediation. He is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa with right of appearance in the High Court obtained in 1996. He is practicing as a member of the Gauteng office of the Legal Practice Council.
He started his articles as a candidate attorney at the firm of Couzyn, Hertzog and Horak and completed it at Dr. P.J. Kotzé and partners in Pretoria. In 1991 he was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa. Thereafter he was employed by the Multilateral Motor Vehicle
Accident Fund (MMF) until 1995. He then found the practice of Hanekom-Grobler Attorneys where he practiced until 2001. Thereafter he practiced under the name and style of Hanekom Attorneys as well as at Gerard Stoop Attorneys. He gained extensive experience in personal injury and motor
vehicle accident (especially RAF) litigation, as well as matrimonial and criminal litigation, appearing in both the Magistrates’ and High Courts. In 2007 he also started to practice first at the UJ Law Clinic and in 2019 the UP Law Clinic.
Still practicing as an attorney he also joined the University of Pretoria in 2002 as an academic associate in the Department of Procedural Law. In 2004 he was appointed as lecturer in Criminal Procedure at the University of Pretoria and continued until April 2007. He has been an instructor at
the certificate short course in Sports Law at the University of Pretoria from 2006 to 2008. He has continuously been appointed as an instructor and lecturer in Motor Vehicle Accidents, later reconfigured as Personal Injury Claims, for the Law Society of South Africa - LEAD at various Schools for Legal Practice in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban from 1999 to the current date. He also serves as instructor at several private firms of attorneys. From time to time, he presents lectures and courses in Practical Contracts, Matrimonial Law, the Law of Costs, Numeracy and Legal Ethics, both to law students and candidate attorneys.
From May 2007 to May 2019, he was employed as the Director of the University of Johannesburg Law Clinic and also lectured the final year LLB module Applied Legal Studies. He was the academic coordinator for the National Diploma in Law: (Paralegal Studies) from 2009 to 2011 and lectured Civil Law 2 comprising of delicts, debt collections and mediation until 2018.He has been involved in the adjudication of disciplinary matters for the Faculty of Law at the University of Pretoria, the University of Johannesburg, and the Law Society of South Africa.
Eddie was a Member of the Executive Committee of the South African University Law Clinics Association (SAULCA), 2013 – 2015. He was then the Vice-President of the South African University Law Clinics Association (SAULCA), for two successive terms July 2015 to July 2019. He was also the President of the South African University Law Clinics Association (SAULCA), for twosuccessive terms from July 2019 to February 2024. He was Co-opted as an Additional Member of the Executive Committee of the South African University Law Clinics Association (SAULCA), 2025 – current date and he is a Trustee of the AULAI Trust, 2015 to current date.
NALEDI TAWANA
Additional Member of the SAULCA Executive Committee
Naledi Tawana is a Supervising Attorney and Subject Specialist at North West University (NWU) Law Clinic (Mahikeng Campus).
She earned her LLB from the University of Johannesburg (2016).
With 9 years post qualification experience in legal advice, she has extensive experience in various specialized areas of the law,
particularly in civil and commercial litigation in the High Court and Lower Courts, legal research, legal drafting and advice on legal planning and strategies, mediation and compliance issues.
Her background encompasses extensive legal advisory services for local government, parastatals, various financial institutions, development corporations and representing interests of private individuals and companies in a wide range of litigious and non-litigiousmatters. She is passionate and committed to social justice, education, and ethical practice.
NATASHA NAIDOO
Additional Member of the SAULCA Executive Committee
Qualifications : BA (WITS) LLB (RAU) LLM (UP)
Professional qualifications : Admitted as an attorney of the High Court of RSA Law Clinic Principal Attorney Law Clinic Director
Natasha Naidoo’s career has been steeped in the legal field for more than 20 years. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of the Witwatersrand where she majored in Law and Political Studies. She then went on to obtain an LLB degree from the RAU, now the University of Johannesburg, and her LLM from the University of Pretoria.
After completing her articles she attended the full-time Practical Legal Training offered by LEAD where she was one of the top achievers receiving merit certificates for outstanding performance in the Law of Costs, Magistrate’s Court Practice, Business Management and Administration. She also received merit certificates in Legal Practice from Potchefstroom University and was selected to participate in the National Litigation Competition.
She accepted the position of Law Clinic Principal on a contractual basis at the University of Johannesburg in 2000. Part of her responsibilities as a supervising attorney was to provide legal training to paralegals at legal advice centres in and around Johannesburg. Among them were Conquest for Life, Black Lawyers Association and the Tswaranang Advice Office.
She only became a permanent staff member of the University of Johannesburg in 2004. Her duties entail supervision of students on their work on real cases, assessment of their work as well as attending to the necessary court appearances.
She also lectured civil law in the National Diploma in Law University of Johannesburg since 2007. Her interests are Family Law, Civil Litigation and Child Law. She was appointed as the Director of the University Law Clinic in 2020 and is currently still in this position. She also lectures the module Applied Legal Studies. In 2025 she won the Mail and Guardian Power of women award for Women in Law and Justice.
demi johannisen
Additional Member of the SAULCA Executive Committee
Demi Johannisen is the Family Law Attorney at Stellenbosch University Law Clinic. She obtained her LLB degree from the University of the Western Cape in 2016 and completed her articles in 2019 at the University of the Western Cape Law Clinic.
She was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court in September 2019. Demi assists clients with family law related matters, such as divorce proceedings, maintenance applications, children’s court and wills.
Demi assists final year law students and supervises and mentors the candidate legal practitioners within her department.
