1. Prof Hennie van as

2. Contact Us Hennie.vanas@nmmu.ac.za Marlene.Holland@nmmu.ac.za
Website: cla.nmmu.ac.za

3. What led to establishment?
2000 – Proposal to BOF rejected – foreign concept
2001 – Observations in Mexico
2002 – Just did it – based on needs identified in public sector
2002 – 3 contracts – not much happens part-time

4. Engagement categories @ NMU
Community service and outreach
Professional service provision
Teaching and learning
Research

5. Community service and outreach
Training to persons
Legal advice & assistance to 15 511 clients (since placed in department)
Legal advice & assistance to 3 676 refugees & migrants
Training to 1914 persons on Refugee Rights

6. Professional service provision
Hosts annual Local Government Law Conference – themes
World Bank - team of experts – establishment of local government – East Timor
Drafting of legislation (local & provincial) – not a function anymore
Policy development
Role clarification – grey areas in law e.g. municipal health
Development of law enforcement strategies
Implementation, administration and enforcement of legislation:
Veld and Forest Fire Act
Health Act
Marine and Coastal Management
Gambling and Liquor Acts
Local Government Law – Legal officer by remote

7. Teaching and learning Registration and offering of SLP’s focusing on:
Law enforcement for SANPARKS, Fisheries, Forestry, Liquor Boards, Gambling Boards, ICASA, municipal health
Fisheries law enforcement (linked to Operation Phakisa and SAIMI)
Non-SAPS criminal investigation
Experience gained in consultancy applied in teaching of Constitutional Law
Registration of qualifications based on work performed by Centre:
Higher Certificate: Criminal Justice,
Diploma: Law Enforcement
Post-graduate Diploma: Criminal Justice
Master of Laws

8. Research Promotion of post-graduate students (LLM and LLD)
External examiner to other institutions
Publication of academic articles in peer reviewed journals

9. Nature of engagement
Current outputs quite different from when started out
Various factors:
Change in environment (RRC)
Change in clients’ needs (Drafting – implementation & enforcement)
Change in NMMU prescriptions (Ward Committees & Law focused)

10. Internal and external multi/inter/ cross/trans - disciplinary engagement activities
Some examples

11. Integrated Technology
Strategic Objectives Plan with ICCTA which was approved by the Auditor General and implemented in two district municipalities

12. Developed a Web-based petitions system with ICCTA
implemented within the Office of the Premier (EC)

13. Internal and external engagement activities and teams
Community Development Worker training - WC
Ward Committee training with KZN Department of Local Government
10 SLP’s for councillors with OTP (WC)
Customer Care & Revenue Management training in metro with public management, finance, technical staff, managers

14. By-laws developed with external input – direct link between academia and industry

15. Roads & Traffic (Engineers)

16. Rivers (Marine & Coastal Management)

17. Street Trading (LED)

18. Municipal Health (Health Practitioners)

19. And more… Parking (Town Planners and engineers)
Air pollution control (Environmental health officers)
Customer care and revenue management (Finance)
Electricity (Engineers)
Fire safety (Fire officers)
Heritage resources (Dept of Arts and Culture)
Rates (Finance)
Storm water (Engineers)
Waste disposal (Engineers and environmental health officers)
Tariffs (Finance)
Animals (Agriculture)

20. Internal/external collaboration/partnerships and networks - indispensible
Engineering (ICT)
Leadership Academy
Departments in Law Faculty
Health Sciences
Science

21. External - International

22. External - national

23. Accreditation by external bodies

24. Footprint

26. Challenges in implementing engagement

27. Challenges in implementing engagement
Quick decisions
Changes in procedures affecting timeous payment of consultants
Shut-down of systems
Re-imbursement of expenditure
Risks of not complying with policies – auditors are not human

28. Preparation & submission of tenders/proposals
Supporting documents (Tax)
Registration as service provider (every year, every department/municipality)
Getting collaborators (internal) to respond on time
Contract approval system – RRC signed documents urgently required
Systems geared for academia
Contract appointments
Procurement and payments (clients don’t go on recess)

29. Unfunded mandates
Want something done? Entities = entrepreneurial

30. Touching lives – wherever you go – use knowledge

31. Touching lives – wherever you go –use contacts

32. Touching lives – wherever you go – be ruthless

33. Thank you!