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Legal aid and advice

Brand South Africa
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December 29th, 2016

Can’t afford to hire a lawyer or pay expensive court fees? Here are your options for seeking legal aid and advice.

There are various other options if you cannot afford a lawyer. (Image: Pixabay)

Legal Aid Board

In criminal matters, everyone is entitled to legal representation. In civil matters, you must pass a means test, based on income, to qualify for assistance. The means-test ceiling is low, so aid is available only to the lowest income groups.

To find out whether you qualify, approach the legal aid officer at your nearest magistrate’s court – a legal aid officer is appointed at every magistrate’s court – or your nearest Legal Aid Board justice centre.

There are over 40 Legal Aid Board justice centres throughout the country. For more information, click here.

Other sources of legal assistance

You can also approach the Legal Aid Bureau, the Legal Resources Centre, or a university law faculty (see below).

Finally, you could approach an attorney directly. This will cost more, but can be very effective – an attorney’s letter threatening legal action often settles a matter quickly. (Click here to find an attorney in your town or province.)

Legal Aid Bureau. A private organisation which offers legal help to the poor. If you pass a means test, your case will be investigated and may be referred to an attorney for legal action.

Tel: (011) 834 8561

Legal Resources Centre. An independent non-profit organisation which provides legal services to poor, homeless and landless individuals and communities.

Tel: (011) 403 7694/0902
Contacts nationwide (mouse on “about us”, click on “contact details”)
E-mail
Web site

University legal clinics. Most university law faculties have legal clinics to which consumers may take complaints. Contacts for university law faculties:

University of Cape Town: (021) 650 3551 or the UCT Law Clinic
University of Durban-Westville: (031) 204 4445/4821
University of Fort Hare: (04060) 22236
University of the Orange Free State: (051) 401 2451
University of Natal (Durban): (031) 260 2867
University of Natal (Pietermaritzburg): (033) 260 5778
University of the North: (015) 268 2903
University of the North West: (018) 389 2510
University of Port Elizabeth: (041) 504 2190
Potchefstroom University: (018) 299 1950
University of Pretoria: (012) 420 4158
Rand Afrikaans University: (011) 489 2141
Rhodes University: (046) 603 8427
University of South Africa: (012) 429 8439
University of Stellenbosch: (021) 808 3195/2
University of Venda: (015) 962 8217
Vista University (Bloemfontein Campus): (051) 505 1386
University of the Western Cape: (021) 959 2756
University of the Witwatersrand: (011) 717 8562 or the Wits University Legal Aid Clinic
University of Zululand: (035) 902-6192 or 793 3911

Finding an attorney

Contact the Law Society of South Africa (their web site has a search facility for finding an attorney in your town or province) or your provincial law society – see below. You can also try the search facility on Attorneys.co.za.

Law Society of South Africa. Umbrella body for the attorney’s profession in South Africa.