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On 1 July 2014, SERI published a 2-page pamphlet entitled Protecting the Rights of Informal Traders: What process must municipalities follow if they want to restrict or prohibit informal trading in an area?

The pamphlet explains the process that a municipality must follow to legally prohibit informal trade in an area, or to relocate informal traders. It outlines what a municipality can do in terms of the Businesses Act 71 of 1991, what the process is that a municipality must follow to restrict or prohibit informal trade in an area in terms of section 6A(2) of the Businesses Act, and what can be done to stop the restriction or prohibition of trading in an area.

The pamphlet was developed in light of a recent decision by the City of Johannesburg's City Council to embark on a process of engagement to declare certain trading areas in the inner city of Johannesburg prohibited. The pamphlet aims to clarify the legal process that a municipality should follow in order to prohibit or restrict informal trade in an area, and, in doing so, seeks to ensure that municipalities follow the law and that those who might be negatively affected are given a chance to participate and articulate their position.

• The 2-page pamphlet can be downloaded here and should ideally be printed and folded.

The SERI Law Clinic seeks the services of a practicing advocate to fill a vacancy for General Counsel, to commence work on 1 February 2015, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The SERI Law Clinic has a first-rate human rights practice, which encompasses constitutional and administrative law, criminal defence, defamation, labour law, property law, contract law (insofar as it involves consumer protection) and actions against the police and other delictual claims. SERI concentrates its work in South Africa’s townships, informal settlements, the Johannesburg inner city and other poor and marginalised communities. SERI’s practitioners appear regularly at all levels of the courts system, up to and including the Constitutional Court. SERI has an enviable track record in obtaining and enforcing ground-breaking judgments.

Reporting to the Director of Litigation, General Counsel will work alongside SERI’s attorneys across the whole range of SERI work. He or she will appear in court alone or together with a silk and/or more junior counsel in trials, motions and appeals as required.

The closing date for applications is Friday 18 July 2014. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and will be expected to make themselves available for interview in August 2014.

• Read the full job description (including essential and desirable requirements, salary and application process) here.

SERI wishes to fill two vacancies for Candidate Attorneys beginning 12 January 2015.

The SERI Law Clinic has a first-rate human rights practice, which encompasses constitutional and administrative law, criminal defence, defamation, labour law, property law, contract law (insofar as it involves consumer protection) and actions against the police and other delictual claims. SERI concentrates its work in South Africa’s townships, informal settlements, the Johannesburg Inner City and other poor and marginalised communities. SERI’s practitioners appear regularly at all levels of the courts system, up to and including the Constitutional Court. SERI has an enviable track record in obtaining and enforcing ground-breaking judgments.

Candidate Attorneys are recruited for a fixed-term of two years, leading to qualification and admission as an Attorney.

The closing date for applications is Friday 18 July 2014. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and will be expected to make themselves available for interview in August 2014.

• Read the full job description (inclluding essential and desirable requirements, salary and application process) here.

SERI and Probono.Org hosted a soundboard meeting on the development of guidelines to the implementation of large-scale relocations in eviction cases and instances of voluntary relocation on 6 June 2014 in Johannesburg. The soundboard meeting was attended by representatives from various civil society organisations and legal NGOs and provided an opportunity for SERI to present its draft guidelines to the group. The guidelines draw on the legal principles that govern relocations, as developed through case law, as well as SERI's practical experience in implementing relocations. The guidelines will be published later in 2014.