Legal practice council’s only English approach questioned

2 April 2019

The Vereniging van Regslui vir Afrikaans (VRA), a professional guild of legal practitioners that champions the cause of Afrikaans, questioned in a letter to the newly established Legal Practice Council (LPC) the unanimous decision to do away with Afrikaans in attorneys’ admission exams, bookkeeping, notarial and deeds exams. 

The VRA Guild is demanding a meeting with the LPC on the decision with a view to have it rescinded.

“Afrikaans and English enjoy a proud, parallel and sustained existence in the South African legal system. The LPC’s focus should much rather be on the preservation of Afrikaans and English in the legal profession, as well as on the expansion of other indigenous languages,” Werner Human, spokesperson of the VRA Guild, said.

“This decision undermines the multilingual mandate that emanates from the Constitution and, in its place, it introduces a uniform and centralised dispensation that runs counter to the nature of the legal profession, a profession that is diverse in its composition and practice,” Human added. 

The VRA Guild proposed to make a presentation to the LPC that would directly address the issue of multilingualism in the legal profession, also addressing ways in which this ideal can be achieved. 

The VRA Guild is of the opinion that the decision has certain constitutional and administrative law consequences, and for those reasons it is important to directly engage with the LPC. 

The VRA Guild reserves the right to take further action in this regard should the LPC fail to engage in talks with it. 

Issued Werner Human, Spokesperson, VRA Guild, 2 April 2019