First Emeris Durban North Law Student Selected For Prestigious African Moot Court Competition

Amira Mahomed (third year IIE Bachelor of Laws (LLB) student Emeris Durban North) will represent Emeris on the international stage when she competes in the prestigious 2026 Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court Competition. The competition will be held at the Institut Universitaire d'Abidjan in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from 26 July to 2 August.

This is the first time an Emeris Durban North LLB student has been selected to participate in the competition. Mahomed achieved the highest marks in the Emeris National Moot Court selection process and will represent Emeris with Martinique Mulder (third year IIE Bachelor of Laws (LLB) student Emeris Pretoria).

"Being selected to represent Emeris nationally was so unexpected because I was writing exams while applying for the competition, and I didn't think I had done my best. I almost didn’t participate because of my hectic schedule. I'm so grateful for this opportunity and thrilled to be one of the two students selected to represent Emeris," said Mahomed.

Widely regarded as one of Africa's leading student law competitions, the Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court Competition brings together top law students from universities across the continent.

According to Voreshka Gosai (Head of Law at Emeris Durban North), the annual competition simulates proceedings before the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, giving participants practical experience in international human rights litigation while developing their legal research, advocacy and comparative human rights law skills.

Mahomed, 21, and Mulder, 23, have been preparing for the competition under the guidance of Tapiwa Mhuru (Emeris' National Moot Court Coach and Law Lecturer at Emeris Pretoria).

Mahomed has loved debating since high school and has coached debating herself. She is planning to become an advocate and quickly discovered a passion for moot court during her first year of tertiary studies, making joining the Emeris Moot Society a natural next step.

The Emeris Moot Society offers IIE Bachelor of Laws students simulated courtroom experience, legal skills training and opportunities to compete in national and international moot court competitions.

Preparing for the competition ultimately helped Mahomed decide which area of law she wants to pursue.

"This achievement has been an eye opener for me. I was torn between pursuing tax and corporate law or becoming a human rights advocate. Preparing for the competition and researching international human rights violations confirmed that I wish to pursue human rights and medical advocacy," she said.

Mahomed said her interest in law first began while she was still in high school, when debating introduced her to a legal case involving mining rights and indigenous communities.

"That was the stepping stone to wanting to help people through the law. I'm also involved with various non-governmental organisations focused on overall development of underprivileged communities. I've attended court and visited prisons, and I've witnessed human rights challenges happening around me. Seeing the difference lawyers can make to the livelihood of a layperson shifted my mindset from tax and corporate law to human rights advocacy".

Although she comes from a background of lawyers, Mahomed’s inspiration to succeed in law is her aunt, Advocate Adilah Hassim SC, the South African human rights advocate who formed part of South Africa's legal team before the International Court of Justice in the country's case against Israel.

"Growing up, I watched her and admired her strength and resilience. She's the kind of advocate I hope to become one day".

Congratulating Mahomed on her selection, Sean Jackson (Senior Lecturer in Law at Emeris Durban North) said: “Amira is an outstanding student whose passion for learning, infectious personality and unwavering commitment to academic excellence set her apart. Intelligent, witty and exceptionally hardworking, she consistently demonstrates the qualities of a future legal professional. I am incredibly proud that she has been selected to represent Emeris at the prestigious 2026 Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court Competition. This remarkable achievement reflects both her dedication and her potential, and I have no doubt she will represent our institution with distinction”.