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Minister of Justice Jeff Radebe will this year introduce a policy to force government departments and state-owned enterprises to ensure that black-owned legal firms benefit from the state's legal bill.

Tabling his departmental budget of R15,4-billion in the National Assembly, Radebe said that his department will on Monday release a policy framework on the "transformation of the state legal services".

Radebe is also set for a showdown with the legal profession after he said he would table the long-awaited Legal Practice Bill in Parliament, which is set to introduce wholesale changes into the governance of the profession. The envisaged reforms seek to strengthen capacity within the Office of the State Law Advisor, which has often been accused of giving poor legal advice to government department.

Although he could not indicate exactly how much the state was spending on procuring legal services, Radebe said the expenditure amounted to "billions of rands".

The ANCYL has long been lambasting government for giving business to predominantly white-owned legal firms at the disadvantage of black firms. Lobby groups like Black Lawyers Association have also criticised government for not empowering black attorneys.

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Sat May 25 08:19:39 SAST 2013 ::

May 18, 2012

mambaaai

Now we can see what is behind these botched decisions..... like e toll all about making money
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May 18, 2012

ApelMankotsana

The move is more than welcome. However it will not serve any purpose if the work will be given only to ANC politicians run law firms, such as, the one run by Penuel Maduna, Mathew Phosa and other senior ANC politicians. It will obviously defeat the whole empowerment focus, like the current BEE does. The other problem is that most of our Black attorneys are specialising more in criminal matters ( quick cash) and do not do other legal fields such as copyright law, media law, IT law and highly complex civil matters. Of course there are Black attorneys who are specialising in other fields except criminal law but they are in the minority...so you will find that at the end of the day,work is given to White law firms because of their speciality........However, the move is welcome.
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May 18, 2012

Pointman

There are some fine black lawyers out there and they should benefit. Don't squander the opportunity by choosing lawyers who pay the biggest kickbacks.
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May 18, 2012

WarrenG

That sounds like a racist policy if I've ever heard one. This is such a racist country...always will be. Just give it to the most competent firm. Hopefully after 20 years we can begin to leave racism behind... cos we haven't yet. Maybe we never will... but 20 years is a good number to start
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May 18, 2012

mambaaai

@ApelMankotsana you make some good points about SPECIALISING firms and attourneys in reality, when going to court is it more important to WIN the case, or is it more about the colour of your attorney. (even juju recently had white attourneys. )
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May 18, 2012

7000000

A good way to empower black lawyers Comrade Jeff. Our profession have turned out to be like a teaching profession, having LLB or LLM nowadays is no longer raising eyebrows as lawyers used to be one of the most successful group of our society. But now you find a person with LLB suffering on the street of joburg with no job and nothing to do with all admission requirements. Some guys who are working in Isando industries are far much better than LLB graduates in terms of monetary term. This profession is saturated even Bra Jeff little empowerment will not help that much as it is going to help only the ''connected'' group.
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May 18, 2012

Sinudeity

The irony is, that whenever an ANC top dawg has to go to court for corruption, they will hire white laywers. Jacob had 9 white laywers back in the day.
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May 18, 2012

ApelMankotsana

@7000000....you have touched on a important issue of admission requirements. I have so many friends who have have tried on number of occasion to write and pass their board exam but got stucked because they are unable to get good marks on subject such as legal bookeeping. Noy suggesting that the standard be lowered but admission is still a problem to others.....
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May 18, 2012

maftowncity

@Apel..

You are 100% correct my bro...last week my friend graduated in law,he was so frustrated,cos sure case o tla be a le strateng le yena,battling like any one.....and i welcome the move,i like it,atleast it will give us something,hope Mr Radebe is not going to look only on one side....
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May 18, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

@Sinudeity
You say 9 white lawyers can you give names please? I only know Kemp J Kemp!!!
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