The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Xola Nqola, today welcomed the approval of the Legal Sector Code of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act.

Mr Nqola said the Code will go a long way in transforming the sector and will do so speedily. He said drafting the Legal Sector Code started in the previous administration. “This process has paved the way for the legal sector to achieve its B-BBEE objectives and will lead to faster transformation of the sector, which has thus far been very unequal, especially in complex legal matters and state procurement,” he said.

The objectives of the Code, which was approved by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau, yesterday, include a target of 50% black representation and 25% black women ownership over five years, as well as management control in executive and board participation. The Code also targets 50% representation of black practitioners and 25% for black women practitioners, particularly as equity partners and associates.

“These targets will clearly drive transformation of the legal sector at a much faster pace than what has been happening up to now,” said Mr Nqola.

The Code is aimed at a skills development target of 3.5% expenditure on training programmes for black candidates. The aim is also to ensure training in specialised skills for black legal practitioners, candidate legal practitioners and black junior advocates within the designated categories: black women, black youth, black people with disabilities, and black people from rural areas. The Code also has a procurement target of 60% for the private sector, and a target of 80% is to be achieved through the specialised procurement scorecard applicable to the public sector.

Mr Nqola said this would ensure black practitioners have better opportunities to specialise in specialised areas of law when the state procures legal services from black legal entities. “This is a step in the right direction. Transformation in this sector has been too slow, leading to black practitioners being overlooked due to either lack of experience or exposure,” he said.