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Mpofu consulting his lawyers over GCBSA investigation

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Advocate Dali Mpofu says he is still consulting with his lawyers on the decision by the General Council of the Bar to investigate his conduct at the State Capture Commission in Johannesburg, where he told another lawyer to “shut up”.

Mpofu and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s legal representative Michelle Le Roux had been re-examining the minister on Tuesday evening. Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo reprimanded Mpofu for telling Le Roux to “shut up”.

Advocate Don Mahon from the Johannesburg Society of Advocates says they hope to conclude the matter in six weeks.

In the video below, Zondo slates Mpofu over shut up outburst:

The General Council of the Bar of South Africa (GCBSA) says despite advocates being able to exercise an acceptable level of independence, they are still required to maintain their duty to the court.

“Advocates are required to maintain an acceptable level of independence. That doesn’t mean that they are not supposed to believe in the cause of their client, but they should not be too closely associated with their client,” says the GCBSA chairperson, Craig Watt-Pringle.

“That would interpret it to mean that, for example, as a rule, the Council should not represent a company in which they are a shareholder or director. The reason for that is Council has an overriding duty to the court. To put yourself in a position of conflict of interest, between the interests of your clients and your duty to the court, is unacceptable. So there are limits,” explains Watt-Pringle.

EFF defends Mpofu

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has defended its former National Chairperson, Advocate Dali Mpofu for his utterances at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

EFF Treasurer General Omphile Maotwe says the EFF supports Mpofu following developments at the commission.

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