Cape Town - The Black Lawyers Association (BLA) has thrown its weight behind the law firms demanding action be taken against Advocate Nazreen Bawa, the evidence leader in the inquiry established to determine Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.
Bawa’s conduct recently came under the spotlight with advocate Muzi Sikhakhane SC accusing her of “perpetuating a stereotype against black people”.
Bawa had led evidence, publishing what she claimed was the public protector’s legal fees that were the subject of testimony.
These fees included large amounts of money being paid mostly to black firms and legal representatives. Bawa conceded that some of the figures were incorrectly allocated and she apologised for this.
However, she denied the racism allegations or the impression that evidence leaders may have tried to shield white advocates.
In a statement on Tuesday, BLA president Advocate Bayethe Maswazi said the public disclosure of fees paid to practitioners for work done for the Public Protector’s office was a deliberate and sensationalist attempt to discredit and denigrate black practitioners.
The latest incident was not isolated as there were many incidents which point to a complete disregard of black practitioners, and all that will be revealed, said the organisation.
“That such a gratuitous disclosure occurred in the hallowed halls of our Parliament and under the watch of a majority-black government can only be described as a cruel twist of irony.
“We note that Advocates Sikhakhane and Ngalwana appeared before the parliamentary committee on November 10, 2022 to set the record straight and to refute the false narrative instigated by the evidence leaders.
The BLA is encouraged by the leadership and courage of the two senior counsels in these difficult times. In the same vein, we fully support the media statement released by the Pan Africanist Bar Association of South Africa (PABASA) on this unfortunate matter.”
The BLA said the latest incident was an attempt to leave the ineluctable conclusion that black practitioners were out to loot public funds.
“No amount of apology and contrived contrition by the evidence leaders will ever undo the damage,” the organisation said.
Cape Times