A joint press statement by the Black Lawyers Association (BLA) and the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADEL) states that the announcement by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Michael Masutha, on 3 September, that the election process of the South African Legal Practice Council (LPC) by all practising legal practitioners, commencing with the nomination of election candidates on 5 September, marked the beginning of the new era in the legal profession. The entire profession (both practising or non-practising attorneys and advocates) will henceforth be regulated by a one unitary regulatory body, namely, the LPC.

The press statement further notes that the BLA and NADEL are conscious that because of the injustice of the past, black and female legal practitioners are in the minority in the legal profession and that the regulation of the legal profession was mainly in the hands of white practitioners. The two organisations have agreed to conduct the election jointly in order to present black and women candidates who will champion the interest of the South African public. These candidates will transform the legal profession, promote the objects of the LPC and reflect the demographics of South Africa.

According to the press statement in this election, attorneys will vote for attorneys and advocates will be voted for by advocates. Section 7(1) of the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014 (LPA) allocates ten positions for attorneys and six for advocates. Together the BLA and NADEL have jointly nominated the following attorneys to compete for the ten positions –

• Lutendo Sigogo;
• Nolitha Jali;
• Bayethe Maswazi;
• Ugeshnee Naicker;
• Noxolo Maduba;
• Krish Govender;
• Kathleen Matolo-Dlepu; and
• Leonia Smith.

NADEL has nominated the following advocates –

• Gcina Malindi SC;
• Vershen Moodley;
• Lawrence Manye;
• Muzi Sikhakhane SC; and
• Philip Zilwa SC.

Nominations closed Friday, 14 September. The list of candidates standing for election was published on Monday, 17 September. Voting opened on 19 September and closed on 30 September. Practising attorneys voted for the ten practising attorneys on the LPC and practising advocates voted for the six practising advocates on the LPC.

The names of the successful candidates elected to the LPC will be published on 5 October.

The BLA and NADEL called on all practising legal practitioners to vote for their nominated candidates.

• The full list of nominated attorneys can be found at www.justice.gov.za
• The full list of nominated advocates can be found at www.justice.gov.za 

This article was first published in De Rebus in 2018 (Oct) DR 9.