State to reform briefing patterns – Minister

The Department of Justice is in the process of transforming state legal services to ensure a fair‚ non-discriminatory distribution of briefs‚ Justice Minister Michael Masutha said yesterday. He was addressing the media ahead of his budget vote speech in the National Assembly. According to a TimesLIVE report, Masutha said the Department had asked Treasury to assist with the establishment of a ‘framework contract’ that will ensure the fair distribution of briefs to advocates and private law firms. Masutha noted that in 2016/17 the department had paid about R781m to counsel‚ 79% of whom were historically disadvantaged individuals and 26% female counsel.