Decades of exclusion and marginalisation of black lawyers have resulted in a skewed distribution of established and profitable law firms, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Brigitte Mabandla said on Thursday.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day indaba in Johannesburg to discuss the proposed legal-services charter, Mabandla said special measures are needed if the problem is to be solved.
”The largest and most-profitable firms are white-led and -owned and the least successful practices are individual practices owned mostly by black South Africans,” she said.
The proposed service charter aims to address transformation in the legal profession.
”Our concern and responsibility as government is to create an enabling environment for all to have equal opportunity,” Mabandla said.
She noted that ”encouraging strides” in appointing blacks and women have been made by some of the big traditionally white firms, but that more opportunities were needed.
”I must say that we cannot create equal opportunity in a climate of systemic inequality unless we take special measures to bring about equity,” she said. — Sapa