Since 2018, a staggering 57 attorneys have been disbarred for professional misconduct, with some stealing between R1.5 million and R5 million from their clients, according to Fidelity Fund reports.
“These abuses erode faith in the legal system,” the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund (LPFF) said in a statement.
“We are raising awareness publicly, transparently and community by community.”
The LPFF is a statutory body established under the Legal Practice Act, with the mandate to protect South Africans from financial loss due to attorney theft or dishonesty.
In order to restore public confidence in South Africa’s legal profession, the LPFF is launching a community outreach programme in Nelson Mandela Bay.
The initiative will be unveiled at an Imbizo-style engagement on Saturday, 25 October from 10:00 to 12:00, at the Sizakele Konzi Community Hall on Jabavu Street in KwaNobuhle.
The event is expected to bring together representatives from the Legal Practice Council (LPC) and affected communities to address the crisis of trust in the legal system.
In an interview with PE Express, LPFF Chief Executive Officer Motlatsi Molefe shared practical steps vulnerable communities can take to protect themselves from unscrupulous legal practitioners.
“The lawyer must have a Fidelity Fund Certificate, which is issued by the LPC every year,” Molefe advised. “The public has a right to see this certificate, and they may confirm with the Legal Practice Council regarding a practitioner’s registration.”
The weekend event will mark the beginning of a national awareness campaign designed to educate the public on how to report dishonest attorneys and claim compensation when money or property is stolen.
The event will include essential knowledge, such as how to verify a legal practitioner’s status online.
“The public may check the FFC status of a practitioner on the LPC and FFC websites. A direct call to the provincial LPC will also yield favourable results,” Molefe shared.
For anyone who suspects they have been victims of attorney misconduct, Molefe advises the public to contact the LPC “so that the LPC may confirm this and take disciplinary action if necessary.”
“The public may also approach the LPFF in the same circumstance and action may be taken between the two organisations through working together.”
Molefe added that the LPFF is taking a multi-pronged approach to address these systemic issues.
“The LPFF is working to manage the risk of the Fund through inspections of trust accounts held by practitioners in their law firms, and training in conjunction with the LPC on trust accounts and the Legal Practice Act,” Molefe revealed.
Further information is available at www.fidfund.co.za
