LAW SOCIETY CONDEMNS MUTED RESPONSE TO ATTACKS AGAINST PROSECUTOR

The Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) strongly condemns the reported recent attacks against a member of the prosecutorial service and the muted response to these by some key institutions.

'Members of the legal profession - whether they be judges, attorneys, advocates or prosecutors - should be able to carry out their professional duties without fear of intimidation or harm,' say LSSA Co-Chairpersons Krish Govender and Jan Stemmett. 'In addition, institutions and the various arms of government supporting our constitutional democracy should condemn such attacks in the strongest possible terms and ensure that the culprits are brought to book.'

The prosecutorial service is one of the pillars of our legal system and attacks against any of its members or staff undermines the rule of law. If left unresolved or unchallenged, such attacks could lead to a climate of lawlessness where the judiciary and other stakeholders in the legal and security arena will not be able to carry out their functions fearlessly, without favour and independently.

This will ultimately send us down the proverbial slippery slope towards the disintegration of our constitutional democracy. In addition, the LSSA points out that the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers provide that governments must ensure that lawyers are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance or harassment.

'The LSSA urges the relevant government institutions to guarantee the independence and security of all lawyers, including prosecutors, and that measures are taken to ensure that the persons responsible for attacks against lawyers acting in their line of duty are brought to justice,' say Mr Govender and Mr Stemmett.

Statement issued by Barbara Whittle on behalf of Krish Govender and Jan Stemmett, Co-Chairpersons of the Law Society of South Africa, May 3 2012

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