BLA slams President over Gauntlet appointment

Although not surprised by the appointment of Advocate Jeremy Gauntlet SC as counsel to President Jacob Zuma in the Nkandla matter before the Constitutional Court tomorrow, the Black Lawyers Association (BLA) is nevertheless outraged that black practitioners were ignored, notes Legalbrief. In a statement issued yesterday, BLA president Lutendo Benedict Sigogo says: ‘It was just a confirmation that the black government led by a black President does not have confidence in the ability of the black legal practitioners. Zuma as the first citizen of the country is expected to lead by example when it comes to transformation of the legal profession and affirmative action of the previously disadvantaged legal practitioners, which are all policies of the ANC led government.’ Sigogo adds: ‘If the President cannot lead by example and brief black counsel how then are we supposed to expect the white dominated corporate world to brief the black legal practitioners. When the black government took power in 1994 the marginalised black legal practitioners hoped that things wwould changed for the better (but) ... the more things change the more they remain the same.’