NCJ Number
144399
Editor(s)
R Theron,
D Fine
Date Published
1992
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This booklet, one in a series on developing justice in South Africa, looks at the role of lawyers and others in South Africa's legal system, problems with the current legal system, and ways of making the legal system more accessible.
Abstract
South Africa's legal system includes about 150 judges, 148 of whom are white males, along with magistrates, prosecutors, advocates, attorneys, an attorney-general, legal aid officers, public defenders, paralegals, public interest lawyers, and legal aid clinic lawyers. Because the legal system in South Africa focuses on serving the business community, about 90 percent of individuals appearing in courts do so without the assistance of a lawyer. In addition, lawyers are primarily white and are often unable to serve the needs of the larger black community. Recommendations for making South Africa's legal system more accessible include changing the method by which people can become lawyers, taking away the division between advocates and attorneys, using paralegals when appropriate to reduce legal costs, and providing more legal aid.