Module Guide 2025
Module Guide 2025
FACULTY OF LAW
PLEASE NOTE
All assessments will be written on campus in a lecture venue and invigilated by your lecturer.
Material, provided on Moodle and/or referred to by your lecturer, must be read prior to the lectures.
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MEET YOUR LECTURER
LECTURER
[insert Title Name Surname]
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
[Insert Title Name Surname of HoD]
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CONSULTATION & COMMUNICATION
Communication with you will be via email, and Moodle from time to time.
Communication with you will be via email and Moodle from time to time. It is university policy that you must use
your university allocated e-mail address for all correspondence with your lecturer and other members of the
faculty or staff at the university. You will need to be diligent and check email and Moodle multiple times per day.
I am available for F2F consultation in my office 041 504 4259, Room 0131 without an appointment, on the
following days and times:
Mondays: 10hr00 to 12hr00
Tuesdays: 14hr40 to 17hr00
If you cannot see me during my consultation hours, you must e-mail me to make an appointment for a
consultation.
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As per the Faculty’s Complaints Procedure, if you are experiencing any issues in this module, you must contact
me or consult with me to discuss the issue. Where we are unable to resolve the issue, you may raise it with the
Head of Department, Marc Welgemoed, [email protected]. If an issue cannot be resolved by
your lecturer or the HoD, it may be escalated to the Dean’s office.
The Faculty, in partnership with the Success Coaching Division and the Emthonjeni Wellness Centre, offers a
peer-mentoring programme. Should you experience any difficulties, academic or other, please contact the faculty
co-ordinator Miss Tina Hokwana at [email protected] for assistance. Miss Hokwana is ably
assisted by the postgraduate associates in the faculty and the members of the academic support hub. Everyone
that offers success coaching is trained therein.
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E-Mail Etiquette
As a Nelson Mandela University Law student and future graduate, you must learn and practice these basic principles of email
etiquette.
It is not necessary to email your lecturer about every lecture that you have missed. Attendance is required at university level,
but it is always your responsibility to catch up with work that you have missed.
If something is still not clear or you have an individual or personal query, then you are welcome to send an email to the
lecturer/course co-ordinator.
Please also be aware of the Escalation Policy, which must be strictly adhered to, in the case of complaints.
Always use your Mandela email address for all correspondence to and from Mandela. If you use a private email account, ensure
that the account has a professional name (simply your name and surname will suffice, e.g. [email protected]).
Please avoid inappropriate and playful email names such as the examples provided below. This does not go down well in
any professional environment.
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WHAT DO I INSERT IN THE SUBJECT LINE?
Provide a clear indication of what your email is about as the subject line helps your lecturer/recipient to determine what the
email is about, even before opening the message.
Start with a greeting and appropriate salutation and refer to the recipient by their correct title, name and surname or title and
surname. For example, Dear Professor Knoetze” or “Adv Coetzee” or “Ms/ Hokwana”
Avoid referring to your lecturers and other staff members on a first-name basis unless they explicitly permit you to do so.
Other professional salutations such as “Good morning” and “Good afternoon” are acceptable. Casual greetings such as “Hey”
are not.
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INTRODUCE YOURSELF
State your full name, student number and the relevant module code.
2. Briefly explain how you have tried to solve the problem, if possible
Be proactive: if you have been struggling with your studies, email your lecturer in advance and try to seek guidance /
support when you have an upcoming test or assignment.
Be polite, professional, and constructive. Do not write in a combative, disrespectful, or sarcastic tone. DO NOT use slang,
colloquialism, foul language, emoji’s, text language (“lol”).
If you include attachments, ensure that the file is readily accessible (Word or PDF-format), and the file name is recognisable e.g.
“S2307018JLKV100Draft1” or “OPotelwaJLKV100Draft1.
Your grammar, spelling and layout of your email reflect your image. Use a proper, legible, and professional font style.
“I look forward to hearing from you.” or “Thank you for your time.” or “Sincerely” or “Kind regards”.
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FACULTY’S COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Students must follow the faculty complaints procedure when they have a complaint. As per the Faculty’s Complaints Procedure, if
you are experiencing any problems relating to the module, you must contact me or consult with me to discuss the issue. Where we
cannot resolve the issue, you may raise it with the Head of Department (HoD), [insert details of HoD]. If an issue cannot be
resolved by your lecturer or the HoD it may be escalated to the Deputy Dean. If the deputy dean cannot resolve the issue, it must
be referred to the Executive Dean. When dealing with complaints please consider the graduate attributes of a Madiba’s student
and deal with any complaint in the spirit and values of the university, exhibiting the required attributes.
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Social awareness and responsible citizenship
Commitment to ethical conduct, social awareness and responsible citizenship.
An acknowledgment of and respect for constitutional principles and values such as equality, equity,
quality, humanity, diversity and social justice.
Respect for and awareness of the environment in all its manifestations.
A commitment to improving local, national and global environmental sustainability.
Adaptive expertise
The ability to apply knowledge and skills in a range of contextual and conceptual frameworks.
Ability to anticipate and accommodate change, ambiguity, and differing views.
Self-management including the ability to work autonomously, exercise initiative, and apply time
management and organisational skills.
The capacity to sustain intellectual curiosity and a willingness to improve personal performance through
self-reflection, the pursuit of lifelong learning, and building networks.
Creativity and innovation
Ability to think creatively and to generate a range of innovative ideas appropriate to the
particular context.
Innovation in their approach to and solution of complex problems.
Commitment to innovative thinking to advance scholarly excellence.
Critical thinking
Openness to new ideas.
The ability to understand, interrogate and apply a variety of theoretical and philosophical positions and
objectively assess the merits of competing and alternative perspectives.
The capacity for critical reflection.
Intra- and interpersonal skills
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Self-awareness.
The ability to relate to and collaborate with others, individually or in teams, to exchange views and
ideas and to achieve desired outcomes.
The ability to function in a multicultural and multilingual context.
Communication skills
The ability to articulate ideas and information confidently and coherently in visual, verbal, written and
electronic forms to audiences of different sizes in a range of situations.
Respect for the multitude of voices, stories, perspectives, and knowledge systems.
PEER MENTORING
The faculty, in partnership with the Success Coaching Division and the Emthonjeni Wellness Centre, offers a peer-mentoring
programme. Should you experience any difficulties, academic or other, please contact the faculty co-ordinator Miss Tina Hokwana
at [email protected] for assistance. Miss Hokwana is ably assisted by the postgraduate associates in the faculty and
the members of the academic support hub. Everyone that offers success coaching is trained therein.
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PRESCRIBED READING
The lecture slides and course notes are available on Moodle. There is no prescribed textbook for JCI
3001.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Additional readings placed on the module site or available via the library databases.
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LECTURES
Attendance of lectures is compulsory. First-year students must attend at least 75% of the lectures in a module.
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FACULTY RULES
It is imperative that you comply with the rules of the
RULES & Faculty of Law and that, in the event of any enquiry,
complaint, unhappiness, you are first to consult with
HONESTY
INTEGRITY your lecturer, and thereafter, the relevant Head of
Department.
As a student studying a module presented by the Faculty of Law, you are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic
honesty when completing assessments. Nelson Mandela University issued an important statement explaining the institution’s
position on Generative Artificial intelligence Please click on this link to read this important statement: Generative AI Statement
https://lt.mandela.ac.za/Generative-Artificial-Intelligence
Students may not employ the use of Generative AI or other technologies such as Bard, ChatGPT, Bing, or Perplexity, as well as
any others for the following purposes in this module:
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Generating information for assessments, projects, and assignments, unless it is explicitly instructed by the academic, who
has provided clear guidelines in the form of permissions and prohibitions as to the appropriate use thereof as part of an
assessment designed around the use of AI.
Used for unfair advantage – when you are determined to deceive and not appropriately use something.
Using AI and not appropriately referencing the sources represented in the generated text, image and/or other product.
Use AI and do not ensure that the sources represented in the generated text, image and/or other product are accurate and
represent the actual work of existing sources.
Generating information via AI that may or may not represent the intellectual work of another person, people or AI and
thereafter making further use of AI to disguise this information and then present it as one’s own, for example by using
paraphrasing software.
When you do not follow permissions and prohibitions provided in the assessment guidelines.
When you are not transparent about its use, do not reference and acknowledge your sources and cannot independently
verify the content.
Practical guidelines:
If GenAI is used, this must be made clear in the footnote.
The specific GenAI tool that has been used must be stipulated.
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The accuracy of the AI-generated content you have used must be verified and it must be clear from the reference how this was
verified – for example, a journal article published in an accredited journal, a case, or a legislative provision that supports the
statement.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Academic dishonesty is regarded in a serious light by the Faculty of Law. Where there is a suspicion that you are involved in
academic dishonesty, you WILL BE referred to Legal Services at the university for disciplinary action. Should you be found guilty of
academic dishonesty or plagiarism, such conviction may be recorded against your academic record. In such an event the faculty of
Law CANNOT provide you with the ‘fit and proper’ testimonial and neither will the university provide you with a certificate of good
conduct. Both are needed to register articles in the legal profession.
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Consolidated assessment timetable link.
https://forms.mandela.ac.za/timetable/CTO_CC_ThisYear/consolidatedAssessmentTT.asp
FORMAT OF ASSESSMENTS
Where your lecturer prescribes an assessment in the form of an assignment, the following rules will apply:
Assignments should be referenced using the Obiter stylistic guidelines, available on the Funda Moodle site. All assignment
submissions are to be uploaded on Funda Moodle in PDF format. All assignments must be checked against Turnitin to ensure that
students have included all the relevant sources in footnotes and the bibliography, have not relied on AI to complete the assignment,
and have not committed plagiarism.
Your lecturer will create a draft submission section on Funda Moodle where you can upload your draft assignment and check it
against Turnitin. You will have three opportunities to check your draft assignment against Turnitin on the draft site. The final
assignment must be uploaded on Funda Moodle in the space created for submission of final assignments. Please note that there is
no opportunity to submit drafts where it is marked ‘assignments for final submission’.
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LAST OUTSTANDING EXAMINATION
Last outstanding examinations and EMAs are only considered when you are in your final year, and you only
need one module to graduate. The faculty determines last-outstanding-assessments at the end of each
semester. After the June and November examinations, the Faculty determines which students have only failed
one module. Those students are then granted an opportunity to write a last outstanding examination / EMA
during the July (first semester modules) and January (second semester modules) re-examination or re-EMA
periods.
If a student had, for example,. registered an extra elective(s) in the 2nd semester (as precautionary); or failed a
compulsory module and an elective in the 1st semester, the Faculty assumes that the student will pass all 1st
semester special or re-assessment examinations/EMAs and the 2nd semester modules (where a student has a
special or re-assessment examination/EMA, the Faculty assumes that the student will pass such an examination
and still award the LOE/A (Last Outstanding Exam/Assessment)). The failed compulsory module will be the only
outstanding module to complete (as the student can potentially complete if the student is granted and passes a
Last Outstanding re-assessment for the compulsory module and passes all the 2nd semester modules).
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If the student fails the Last Outstanding for the compulsory 1st semester module and passes all the 2nd
semester modules, the student will need to redo the failed compulsory module (register the next year) as another
last outstanding opportunity will not be granted for the compulsory 1st semester module (as a last outstanding
had already been granted. There is no opportunity to be awarded a last outstanding examination again for a first
semester module in the January re-assessment period. (In line with rule G1.13 of the General Prospectus 2021
This means that the mark awarded (which may not exceed 50%) for the last outstanding assessment (covering
all the work of the semester or the year) will be the student’s final mark. Last outstanding assessments can only
be granted provided the student was registered for and was active in the module during the 2024 academic
year.
Please note that rule G1.13.2.11 (“a last outstanding re-assessment will not be granted for continuous
assessment modules”) applies to the traditional continuous assessment modules such as Legal Skills
and Legal Practice.
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FORMAT OF ASSESSMENTS
Where your lecturer prescribes an assessment in the form of an assignment, the following rules will
apply:
Assignments should be referenced by using the Obiter stylistic guidelines that are available on the Module
Moodle site. All assignment submissions are to be uploaded on Moodle in PDF format where possible. All
assignments must be checked against Turnitin to ensure that students have included all the relevant sources in
footnotes and the bibliography, have not relied on AI to complete the assignment and have not committed
plagiarism.
Your lecturer will create a draft submission section on Moodle where you will be able to upload your draft
assignment and check it against Turnitin. You will have three opportunities to check your draft assignment
against Turnitin on the draft site. The final assignment must be uploaded on Moodle in the space created for
submission of final assignments. Please note that there is no opportunity to submit drafts where it is marked
‘assignments for final submission’.
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ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
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FEEDBACK ON ASSESSMENTS
Your lecturer will provide general feedback per question in the assessment. No detailed memoranda will be provided. Feedback is
aimed at informing the student where he/she went wrong when answering the question. For example, memoranda of assessments,
may include a skeletal outline of the model answer. Your lecturer will provide general comments on marked assignments.
Mark-related queries must be raised within five weekdays after the scripts for each specific assessment were handed out
during the lecture for the first time. Any requests outside of the five weekdays will not be considered. This means that mark
change requests will not be entertained/considered after five weekdays.
Please note that all uncollected scripts will be shredded in July for semester 1 assessments and in December for
Semester 2 assessments.
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REMARK PROCEDURE FOR TESTS AND ASSESSMENTS
EXAMS
The faculty is not involved in the application process for remarks of examinations. You must follow the university rules for
applications for remarks of examinations. If you require a remark on an examination, please approach the Assessment and
Graduation Office, and make an appointment to view your paper. This is free and will allow you to view the memorandum to
assess how your paper was marked. Should you feel that your paper was marked incorrectly, you can apply for a remark on your
paper. The Assessment and Graduation Office charges a cost for remarks that must be paid by you (the applicant). The paper will
be sent to the faculty to be remarked. Please note that remarks are not done by the lecturer but by another academic in the field
who is appointed by the relevant Head of Department.
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MODULE PURPOSE & LEARNING OUTCOMES
Empower all students to successfully plan, execute and document major investigations.
Understand and apply principles relating to investigations relating to cross-border crimes.
Understand and apply principles relating to Mutual Legal Assistance.
Know the principles relating to search and seizure.
Plan and execute undercover & related operations.
Know how to set up and implement Mutli-Agency Teams.
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MODULE PROGRAMME
SEMESTER 1
TERM 1
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TERM 2
13 12 – 16 May
14 19 – 23 May
15 26 – 30 May
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ANNEXURES TO THE MODULE GUIDE
This link explains the meaning of the verbs used in assessment, in English, isiXhosa and
Afrikaans:
INSERT LINK
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IMPORTANT DATES
2024 Year-end re-assessment period Friday, 10 January 2025 T Monday, 20 January 2025
o
First-Year Student Success Programme Monday, 03 February 2025 To Friday, 07 February 2025
First teaching cycle recess: Saturday, 29 March 2025 To Sunday, 06 April 2025
Second teaching cycle recess: Sunday, 22 June 2025 To Sunday, 13 July 2025
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Mid-Year Re-assessment and last Monday, 14 July 2025 To Friday, 18 July 2025
outstanding assessment Period
Third teaching cycle recess: Saturday, 06 September 2025 To Sunday, 14 September 2025
Fourth teaching cycle recess: Sunday, 23 November 2025 To Wednesday, 31 December 2025
2024 Year-End Re-assessment and last Thursday, 08 January 2026 To Friday, 16 January 2026
outstanding module assessment Period
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IMPORTANT LINKS
1 The university allocates a university e-mail address to each student that must be used for official communication with the
faculty. An e-mail sent to the university e-mail address of the student will be deemed to have been received by the
student.
2 It is of the utmost importance that you keep up to date with information that will be shared via email and the zero-rated
Funda site, which can be accessed through: Funda
The Law Faculty has a general information Funda site for all law students, which can be accessed through
https://funda.mandela.ac.za/login/index.php.
3 You can follow the faculty on its social media pages:
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/NMUFacultyofLaw
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Ic9UXAOBEXEvdUVGO_h9Q/featured
Website: https://law.mandela.ac.za
4 You will have F2F tutorials in lecture venues on campus. F2F lectures are not recorded. Online lectures will be
presented via the Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) platform and several learning activities including videos, PowerPoint
presentations, and self-assessment activities are placed on the module’s Funda Moodle site. Online lectures are
recorded, and the recording will be uploaded on Unitube and a URL link to the recording will be placed on the module’s
Funda Moodle site.
5 Online lectures will be presented using MS Teams. F2F lectures will be presented in the allocated venue provided on the
timetable. Your timetable is available on the student portal.
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Student support links/contact numbers
For you to scan the QR code reader, you will need to download the QR code Reader from Google Play for Android/ App Store
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NMU Emthonjeni Student Wellness
Emthonjeni Student
Or e-mail for an appointment:
Wellness
[email protected]
Student Success
Resources:
GetDigiReady: Funda Moodle GetDigiReady: Moodle
Everything from Learning
material, plagiarism and NMU Student Success Resources
041-504 3000
Or send an E-mail to
IT Helpdesk [email protected] or log a call on 31 | P a g e
the CRM request assistance function on
Emergency contact numbers:
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PROPOSED ASSESSMENT PERIODS FOR THE 2025
ACADEMIC YEAR
First semester
First semester DATE
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Second semester
Second semester DATE
ASSESSMENT 1 1 – 4 September 2025 and 15 - 30 September 2025
ASSESSMENT 2 3 – 24 October 2025
EMA’s FOR CONTINUOUS
1 and 3 November 2025
ASSESSMENT MODULES
EXAMS 4 – 22 November 2025
RE-EXAM AND LAST OUTSTANDING
8 - 16 January 2026
EXAMS FOR SEMESTER TWO
RE-ASSESSMENTS FOR CONTINUOUS
19 - 21 January 2026
ASSESSMENT MODULES
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All the best for the semester.
Mahlubandile Ntontela
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