Pro Bono Help Desk launched

September 26th, 2016
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Judge President of the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court, as well as Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Legal Aid South Africa, Dunstan Mlambo, speaking at the launch.

Judge President of the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court, as well as Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Legal Aid South Africa, Dunstan Mlambo, speaking at the launch.

President of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces, Anthony Millar, delivering his address.

President of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces, Anthony Millar, delivering his address.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Mapula Thebe

On 3 July the Law Society of the Northern Provinces (LSNP) held an event at the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court in Johannesburg to launch a Pro Bono Johannesburg Help Desk at the same court.

The LSNP introduced a Pro Bono Scheme in 2008 whereby free legal services are made available to indigent persons who cannot otherwise afford the services of attorneys. In terms of this scheme, all 13 000 members of the LSNP are available on a compulsory basis, to render legal services under the scheme for at least 24 hours per year free of charge.

Opening the proceedings, President of the LSNP, Anthony Millar said it has been proposed that members of the Bar should make themselves available for the Pro Bono Scheme and that the leaders of the Bar have put the proposal to its members.

Judge President of the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court, as well as Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Legal Aid South Africa (Legal Aid SA), Dunstan Mlambo, noted that the profession should not take access to justice for granted. He added that as much as Legal Aid SA assists the indigent, the profession should also help so that Legal Aid SA could doubles its initiative.

 

Mapula Thebe NDip Journ (DUT) BTech (Journ) (TUT) is the editor of De Rebus.

 This article was first published in De Rebus in 2016 (Oct) DR 16.

 

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