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The South African National Schools Moot Court Competition is an annual moot court competition established in 2011 aimed at creating greater consciousness and understanding in South African schools and communities about the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the values embodied by it through the active participation of learners in a moot court competition.
The winners receive financial assistance towards their first year studies at any South African law school.
Format
The moot is divided into written and oral rounds. All secondary schools in South Africa are invited to send a team of two grade-10 learners to submit two short essays, each arguing the opposing view of the set fictional question. A panel of experts evaluate the submissions and select the four best submissions from each of South Africa's nine provinces which are then invited to the semi-final oral rounds held at the University of Pretoria, with the winners arguing in the final round at the Constitutional Court of South Africa, Johannesburg. In the inaugural competition, 32 teams competed in the provincial rounds.
The moot court is organised and supported by the Department of Basic Education, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, South African Human Rights Commission, Foundation for Human Rights, Constitutional Literacy and Service Initiative, University of Cape Town, University of Pretoria Faculty of Law, University of Venda, University of Western Cape and Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Inc (CDH).