Breakaway advocates plan to form non-racial group

More than 40 advocates from the predominantly black Duma Nokwe Group and from the predominantly white Island Group are understood to be in the final stages of negotiating the establishment of the new non-racial group, the report says. The breakaway groups are led by two of SA's most highly regarded senior counsel, Advocates Vincent Maleka and Wim Trengove. Trengove reportedly said they were 'determined to build a non-racial group that has a non-racial attitude'. 'What we realise is it can't be the white way or the black way. It will have to be a third way,' Trengove is quoted as saying. Maleka said the purpose of the group was to go 'beyond talking about empowerment'. Among the chief priorities for the new group would be ensuring there was a space for new advocates to make a living and to learn crucial advocacy skills, he said. 'The idea is to try to promote in-house advocacy training, including appeal advocacy and trial advocacy, in a way that guarantees the transfer and sustainability of advocacy skills.' He said the group would also strive to be a 'destination of choice' for pro bono work. Full City Press report