Legal sector in for a facelift

2006-08-13 20:02

Mariechen Waldner

Johannesburg - The legal-services sector, one of the last bastions of white male dominance in South Africa, is in for a major overhaul.

The envisaged transformation, set out in a draft legal-services charter published by the department of justice and constitutional development, comprises several strategies to bring about racial and gender equality in law firms and other institutions providing legal services.

Dealing with the needs of "the majority of South Africans who cannot afford legal services", the charter also proposes a number of strategies to improve their "access to justice".

It proposes the development of a proper pro bono (for the public good) system, requiring lawyers and advocates to undertake legal work voluntarily and without payment as a public service.

It also proposes an intern scheme.

This requires legal students to help people in rural areas and marginalised communities before they are admitted into the profession.

Single regulatory body proposed

The draft document, unveiled at a media breakfast in Pretoria on Friday, will be discussed by all stakeholders at a national meeting in Johannesburg this week.

Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla said: "My wish is that we should begin an intense process of engagement with legal matters in this country."

Addressing journalists at the breakfast, she said she hoped that ordinary people would also take part in the process.

The 44-page charter proposes a single national regulatory body for South Africa's legal practitioners.

Its members, comprising legal representatives and people who represent the public interest, will be appointed by the minister after consultation with the chief justice and president of the Supreme Court of Appeal.

This regulatory body will prescribe qualifications for admission to legal and paralegal practice, maintain a roll of registered practitioners, prescribe and levy annual fees for licences to practise and deal with complaints of malpractice.

It also will be empowered to maintain a South African legal practice fidelity fund to compensate members of the public in cases of money being stolen by crooked practitioners.

- City Press