Legal body condemns attacks on Ngcukaitobi, Sikhakhane over Zondo inquiry work

The Pan African Bar Association of South Africa (PABASA) has condemned attacks on advocates Muzi Sikhakhane and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi in relation to their work at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry.

The two advocates have been highly criticised on social media as they seemingly stand on opposite sides – Sikhakhane for former president Jacob Zuma and Ngcukaitobi for the commission.

“The attacks on Sikhakhane and Ngcukaitobi are seemingly informed by little more than the identity of the clients they represent. This is an affront to their integrity as legal practitioners. It is also part of a worrying trend where criticism of clients tends to morph unwarrantedly into violent attack on their lawyers. This trend must be nipped in the bud if we are a society that respects constitutionalism,” said PABASA.

Earlier this week, the Legal Practice Council (LPC) condemned attacks on Ngcukaitobi and the State Capture Commission.

ALSO READ: JSA concerned over ‘unlawful surveillance’ of Tembeka Ngcukaitobi

“The legal profession plays a pivotal role in the administration of justice in our country. Advocates are obliged by their traditional rules of ethics, and by the LPC’s code of conduct, to follow the ‘cab rank’ rule, which means that they cannot refuse to accept a brief in an area of law in which they practise.

“Advocates, and other legal practitioners, must therefore be allowed to provide their legal expertise to all persons who require it, no matter who, and any attack or harassment of them because of who they act for is unwarranted, infringes on the rights of legal practitioners and their clients and is inimical to the rule of law.

“The LPC urges members of the public and the profession to exercise restraint when criticising legal practitioners in whatever forum and/or platform especially on the basis of the identity of their clients,” it said.

The Jacob Zuma Foundation received criticism last month after naming Ngcukaitobi in its statement, defending Jacob Zuma’s decision to leave the state capture commission with his legal representative Sikhakhane without permission.

The foundation released a statement claiming Zuma was facing criminal proceedings plotted by Zondo, assisted by Ngcukaitobi.

It questioned the presence of Ngcukaitobi in Zondo’s chambers.

“We are also gravely concerned at the reports that when Zuma’s legal team went to see the chairperson in chambers, they found the chairperson with Ngcukaitobi SC, whose role in the chairperson’s chambers was not explained. It is disturbing that the chairperson allowed such irregularities to occur in this matter,” readed the statement.

“We call on all supporters of Zuma as he faces criminal proceedings being plotted by the evidence leaders and the chairperson irregularly assisted by Ngcukaitobi SC, who also represents other parties appearing before the same commission.”

READ MORE: Malema: The Jacob Zuma Foundation ‘should know better’

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.