Editors’ Note

THE NEW

Over the last year, COVID-19 has contaminated its way into our psyches, our conversations and our lived realities. For months, we struggled to talk about anything but the pandemic: suffocated by what we could no longer do, what was different, what was new, and what we had lost. Terms like ‘lockdown’, ‘social distancing’, and ‘self-isolating’ have permeated into our every-day lexicons. But, as humans (and as law students!), we also learnt to adapt, as humanity somehow always does, and we continue to do so, constantly, ventilating our new realities and trying to make sense of what still feels like one long episode of Black Mirror. So, here we are: The New Normal. What does it look like?

This edition, the first of 2021 and the first time that Altum Sonatur has gone completely virtual in print-magazine format, addresses exactly that question, through a legal lens. First, we take at a look at how the Global North is causing a system of vaccine apartheid and what this means for the future of vaccinations in South Africa. Next, we reflect on university fees during the current climate of online learning: should they be increased, decreased, or frozen altogether? After this, we broaden our scope to investigate how human rights in South Africa have been affected by the virus. This is followed by four lessons we can learn from this crazy pandemic that we can integrate into life beyond COVID. We also look to the new Expropriation Bill, to see how this would change access to land, especially when so many in South Africa are facing even more adversity from the multifaceted effects of the pandemic. Lastly, we examine the Judiciary’s role during the hard lockdown in declaring regulations invalid.

We also have a beautiful piece of poetry; an interview with UCT lecturer, Lauren Kohn; and a piece penned by Ruxton McClure, a South African lawyer working for the World Trade Organization, who shares his experiences of pandemic life in the working world. As if this issue is not jam packed enough, we also have a section titled ‘Prima Facie Fun’ where you can find a Kramer Krossword, a ‘what kind of lawyer will you be?’ quiz, riddles, and an explanation of Lawyer-Cat – because we all need a laugh, even during a plague. Then, be sure to check out our online learning tips, tips for your mental health and a list of what we miss most about our beloved Kramer – all contributed by students! Lastly, engage with the ‘Humans of Kramer’ and ‘Meet the Altum Committee’ sections – because connection (even virtually!) is important.

If you would like to contribute toward our next edition, email altumsonatur@gmail. com or DM us on Instagram at Altum Sonatur UCT. We are always looking for writers but we also want your visual art pieces, poems, cartoons, reflective works and anything else you can think of – we want to know who you are behind the law school mask (ha).

Stay safe and make sure your microphones are muted,

Jaime Uranovsky and Adenike Fapohunda