Swapna Prabhakaran
Race relations among advocates in KwaZulu-Natal have deteriorated to the brink of segregation, with disgruntled black members of the Society of Advocates of Natal forming an association to protect their interests.
Thirty-two black advocates from Durban recently attended a blacks- only meeting and formed the new association, which aims to work within the society of advocates to address race-related difficulties affecting them.
An advocate who was at the meeting told the Mail & Guardian some advocates had even considered forming a separate black bar council.
The advocate, who wishes to remain anonymous, accused the majority of the white-dominated Bar Council of having a “right-wing point of view”, and the society of advocates of being “designed for medieval times”.
The advocate added that a “suspiciously disproportionate” number of black students are failing the bar exams. Black members of the society also believe they are often sidelined or overlooked when pro deo counsel is assigned, or when commercial work needs to be done.
The new association has appointed a task group of seven black advocates -including three senior counsel – to look into the common grievances and come up with possible solutions. Convenor of the task team, advocate Tayob Aboobaker, said the association has not decided whether it will officially break away from the society of advocates. The task group will draw up a report and present it to the society on behalf of the black members’ association.
Johan Ploos van Amstel, chair of the Society of Advocates of Natal, said the fact that countrywide there are more white advocates than black advocates is due to the educational imbalances of the past.
“Some black advocates don’t get the kind of quality work they need to build up a reputation, and the kind of reputation they need to move up and become judges.” He said the society is not directly responsible for this situation, as “the briefing pattern is not something that advocates control”.