SAAA Composition

About Us

The Attorneys Profession:

An attorney is a legal practitioner qualifying to be able to conduct a trust account and represent clients in legal matters.

The Attorneys Act 1979 defines attorney as a person duly admitted to practice as an attorney in any part of South Africa

The new Legal Practice Bill refers to attorneys as means a legal practitioner [practicing with a Fidelity Fund certificate]who is admitted and enrolled as such under the Legal Practice Bill [Act.]

Statistics of South African attorneys:

In South Africa as at April 2013, there were in excess of 21'000 practicing attorneys. Of these just over 12'000 practice in the Northern Provinces (Gauteng, Limpopo, North West Province & Mpumalanga), just under 6'000 practice in the three Cape provinces (Eastern, Western & Northern Cape), just under 3'000 in KwaZulu-Natal and just over 600 in the Free State.  There were approximately 2300 candidate attorneys registered throughout the country. As such attorneys make up the largest part of the local legal profession.

Where we're going:

Our mission is to create a voice for many of these attorneys who might not feel adequately represented to speak out on matters of importance to society.

How we help the attorneys profession:

For many years attorneys have questioned why no voluntary association of attorneys exists, which can as a representative body make representations when required and which can speak on behalf of its members.  It is now happening.

 Until recently there was no voluntary organization  able to make such representations or speak on behalf of the majority of attorneys.  It frequently occurred at national level that there were divergent views in regard to important matters affecting the profession, following which press statements were issued by existing voluntary organizations of which the minority of attorneys were members, and the majority had no official voice.  The LSSA will only issue a statement if there is unanimity between its 3 constituents namely the BLA, Nadel and attorneys who are not members of either, the latter generally being referred to as the “elected” or “statutory” members and who did not have an official body.

As soon as there is disagreement between the three constituents, the LSSA does not issue a statement. 

The same has to apply at provincial level. This is of course not the only reason for the formation of the SAAA.  The majority of attorneys do not have the benefit of membership of an independent body (i.e. voluntary association) and it is high time that this is put in place.

For many years there has been talk about the formation of such a body, with a constitution of its own, able to talk on behalf of its members.  Talk has become reality and the SAAA has been formed.

 A provisional committee has been formed and is engaged in sorting out logistics and administrative issues.

All practising attorneys should join:

You are cordially invited and earnestly requested to join the SAAA.  Attached is an application form (English and Afrikaans) and a copy of the Constitution.  You are requested to pass on the information regarding the SAAA to colleagues who you think may be interested in joining. 

On completion of the application, please forward same to Mr David Bekker of the firm Cloete & Neveling Inc, Harrismith, who, as an interim measure, is dealing with membership applications.  He is a member of the provisional committee and can be e-mailed at david@cn-law.co.za .

 Membership fees are as follows:

 Attorneys (5 years or more)        R500.00 per annum

Attorneys (less than 5 years)       R300.00 per annum

Candidate attorneys                    R100.00 per annum

The financial year commences on the 1st March

Payment should accompany the application and can be made as follows:

Cloete & Neveling Inc

Absa Bank Harrismith

Branch code:  632005

Account number:  910230689

Reference:  your name and S 9051

Contact details:

Email:  david@cn-law.co.za

Fax:  058 – 623 0707  (Please provide proof of payment)

PO Box 69, Harrismith, 9880

Please feel free to telephone or mail us if you require any further information.

The existence of the SAAA to ensure the independence of the profession is of cardinal importance, especially in the light of the Legal Practice Bill, which will shortly serve before the parliamentary Portfolio Committee.

PLEASE SEND A COPY OF YOUR COMMUNICATION  TO DAVID BEKKER WITH THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS IN YOUR PRACTICE WHO ARE JOINING SO WE CAN UPDATE MY RECORDS

 Executive Members:

	Praveen Sham, Member of the Executive Committee and Chairperson of the SAAA: He is an attorney at Stanger, KZN Province. He is a past Co-Chair and current councillor of the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA), and a past president and current councillor of the KZN Law Society. Praveen can be contacted at 083 324 1832.
	Jan Stemmett, Member of the Executive Committee: He is an attorney at Polokwane, Limpopo Province. He is a past Co-Chair and current councillor of the LSSA. He is also a past President and current councillor of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces. He can be contacted at 083 250 2105.
	David Bekker, Member of the Executive Committee: He is an attorney at Harrismith, Free State Province. He is the current Co-Chair and councillor of the LSSA. He is also a past President and current councillor of the Free State Law Society. He can be contacted at 082 773 8098 or 058 622 1006.
	Peter Horn, Member of the Executive Committee: He is an attorney at Kimberley, Northern Cape Province. He is a past Co-Chair and current councillor of the LSSA. He is also a past President and current councillor of the Cape Law Society. He can be contacted at 083 286 1784 or 053 832 5213.

The full National Management Committee includes:

CLS – K Alberts, D Geard, E Barnard, P Horn;

FSLS – DB Bekker, J Maree.

KZN – Praveen Sham, R Scott;

LSNP – J Stemmett, D Bennett, J van Rensburg, LG Curlewis;