The Legal Practice Council (LPC) in Limpopo has raised concern over fraudulent and unethical legal practitioners taking advantage of people in need of assistance.
The organization has embarked on a campaign to raise awareness of the existence of the council and what it does.
Part of their campaign is also to raise awareness for legal practitioners regarding the rules of compliance.
Provincial Director Khomotso Matsaung says members of the public should do their due diligence when seeking legal assistance.
“We have been bringing awareness to the members of the public that before you engage a lawyer or a legal practitioner, please go to our website and check whether that legal practitioner is registered with the Legal Practice Council; and he is or she is allowed to render legal services.”
Matsaung adds: “Regarding suspensions and striking, the recent stats that we have, in 2023 we have already struck off 28 legal practitioners and we have suspended 70 legal practitioners currently.”
In July, the LPC said it plans to take action against lawyers who have been found guilty of swindling applicants of the Road Accident Fund (RAF) of millions of rand.
This follows the council’s probe after the fund lodged a complaint in 2020, about law firms allegedly refusing to return duplicate payments amounting to R340 million.
