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Legal Aid South Africa said it condemned the bullying and intimidation of its legal practitioners following an incident at a periodical court in Limpopo recently.
Provincial executive, Mpho Kgabi, said South Africa’s justice system considers all accused persons innocent until proven guilty.
“Yet, for many, the idea of justice being extended to all seems unpalatable in light of the country’s high crime rate,” she said.
Kgabi said the recent attempt by a mob to assault a Legal Aid SA legal practitioner in the Zebediela Periodical Court highlights this challenge.
“Members of the community could not understand how he could represent an accused who is facing charges of murder and rape,” she said.
“The rule of law remains an essential pillar of South Africa’s democracy and access to justice by everyone is a fundamental human right. Without it, one cannot have a fair trial as this would undermine the criminal justice system and further erode respect for the rule of law,” Kgabi added.
She also noted that court matters were sometimes postponed and delayed “due to vigilantism ultimately slowing down the wheels of justice.”
