Biography
Professor of Law
B.A., University of Natal, South Africa
LL.B University of Natal, South Africa
LL.M, 1988, Northwestern University School of Law
S.J.D, 1991, Northwestern University School of Law
Professor Ziyad Motala is a legal scholar and Professor at Howard University School of Law. He previously served as the Director of the Comparative and International Law Program at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa and held the position of Honorary Professor of Law at the University of the Western Cape School of Law.
Before joining Howard University, Professor Motala taught at Northwestern Law School as an Adjunct Law Professor and was a Visiting Professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law. A native of Durban, South Africa, he was actively involved in the struggle for liberation in South Africa. He earned his B.A. and LL.B. degrees from the University of Natal (South Africa) and later obtained an LL.M. and an S.J.D. from Northwestern University in Chicago.
An authority in international law, constitutional law, and comparative constitutional law, Professor Motala has presented papers and delivered keynote speeches at numerous conferences worldwide. He coordinated a one-week seminar on the Protection of Human Rights in Africa, conducted by the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences in collaboration with the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Bureau and the United Nations Center for Human Rights.
Professor Motala has an extensive publication record in his areas of expertise. He co-authored Constitutional Law: Analysis and Cases with Cyril Ramaphosa, the current President of the Republic of South Africa. His other notable works include Constitutional Options for a Democratic South Africa: A Comparative Perspective and The Protection of Human Rights in African Criminal Proceedings, co-edited with M.C. Bassiouni. Additionally, he has produced casebooks such as Constitutional Law Cases: The Structure of Government and Constitutional Law Cases: Equal Protection and Fundamental Rights.
With over one hundred publications, including law review articles, journal pieces, op-eds, and books, Professor Motala has made significant contributions to legal scholarship. His expertise has been sought in legal reform and justice administration projects across various regions worldwide.