Riaan Visser | 02 February 2025
It appears that external pressure was exerted on the minister to enforce the sector codes.
31 January 2025
Solidarity has issued a warning to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, and the Legal Practice Council (LPC) to point out that the implementation of strict racial directives for the legal profession is illegal, irrational and unconstitutional.
These prescribed BEE codes for the legal sector, signed by Minister Parks Tau on 20 September 2024, are, according to Riaan Visser, head of Solidarity’s Law Network, in contradiction with, among others, the Constitution and the Employment Equity Act.
Visser said the Solidarity Law Network specifically represents members working in the legal sector whose lives will be affected by these sector codes even more than the general public.
“Solidarity is committed to the law and makes every effort to ensure that the procedures followed to enforce such directives at least comply with legislation. In this case, it appears that some external pressure was exerted on the minister to enforce the sector codes,” said Visser.
If the minister does not heed our letter of demand, Solidarity will have no choice but to take legal action by the request.
‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’.