Four SA law students became national champions of mooting, then went on to compete against 164 universities from around the world in the US!
Western Cape, South Africa (08 May 2026) – Four law students from the University of the Western Cape earned the right to stand toe-to-toe with the best legal minds from 164 universities across the globe, and they did so with skill!
Back in March, the UWC Moot Court Society team was crowned SA’s National Champions, which sent them packing for Washington, D.C. to represent our country on the world stage.
The competition they entered, the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition, is widely recognised as the world’s largest moot court competition, which draws participation from around 700 law schools across more than 100 countries and jurisdictions. It’s almost like the World Cup…but for law students.
By winning the National Championship, the team earned the right to officially represent South Africa at the international championship rounds in Washington, D.C. from 28 March to 4 April 2026.
But actually, what even is mooting?
It’s essentially a simulated court case, where law students are assigned roles as legal counsel and argue a fictional (but very realistic) legal dispute in front of a panel of judges. The judges actively interrupt and question the advocates, testing their knowledge on the spot.
Mooting is designed to sharpen the skills that matter most in a courtroom like legal research, oral argument, thinking fast under pressure, and knowing your case inside and out. It’s one of the most practical things a law student can do before stepping into real legal practice.
At the Jessup Competition specifically, the ‘case’ simulates a dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
This year’s problem, called the Case Concerning the Gordian Gorge, tackled complex issues including the rights of indigenous peoples over natural resources, state immunity, and the right of states to intervene in ICJ proceedings.
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The UWC squad consisted of two oralists, Kelebogile Mashiane and Reabetswe Matsimela, who presented the team’s arguments in front of the judges, and two researchers, Khanyisile Mnisi and Mpho Masike, who spent months doing the legal digging that made those arguments possible.
Kelebogile and Reabetswe found themselves up against some of the most prestigious law schools on the planet. During the preliminary rounds, each team argued the case four times, twice as the side bringing the case, twice defending against it.
The UWC team held their own against the best universities in the world. UWC argued against the Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina), the University of Canterbury (New Zealand), MGIMO University (Russia) and Tel Aviv University (Israel).
The 2026 World Champions were ultimately crowned as the National University of Singapore. Although Team SA did not progress to the knockout rounds, they showed strong advocacy skills and resilience in facing off against some of the best teams in the world.
“The team also returned as stronger mooters, fully committed to helping the Moot Society achieve even greater success for UWC and South Africa in the 2027 Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.” shares the university.
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