South Africa: President Zuma Instructs Justice Minister to Look Into Black Lawyers’ Concerns
Lizeka Tandwa, News 24, July 14, 2017
President Jacob Zuma (Credit Image: © Doc/Kopano Tlape/Xinhua via ZUMA Wire)
President Jacob Zuma on Friday instructed Justice Minister Michael Masutha to look into concerns the Black Lawyers Association (BLA) had raised about discrimination and unequal pay.
“We genuinely understand their concerns,” he said in a statement.
He instructed Masutha to investigate and compile a report.
“We also encourage all arms of state and all spheres of government to prioritise and empower black lawyers, particularly women,” Zuma said.
During a protest at the Union Buildings on Friday, the BLA said government departments, state-owned entities and municipalities were giving work to white male lawyers and overlooking women and blacks.
In a memorandum they handed over, they ask that Zuma to appoint a commission of inquiry to determine why this is happening, and for the distribution of state legal work to happen through a central office.
