Mrs Sylvia Brigitte Mabandla, Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development, announced in December 2004 the commencement of the process of developing the legal services charter for the legal profession and the legal services sector. In July 2005 a Cabinet Lekgotla approved the principle for the development of the Legal Services and expected the first draft charter by mid 2006. The Minister’s role is to facilitate the development of the charter for the legal services sector and legal profession.

The department established a Reference Group with its first and second meeting held respectively on the 30 th August and 11 th November 2005. Both these meetings were chaired by representatives of the Office of the Director General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJCD). The results of the meeting culminated in the development of the concept framework on the charter.

In January 2006, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development appointed a Steering Committee. The mandate of the Steering Committee is to develop a draft legal services charter and to advise the Minister on further consultative processes with the stakeholders. The members of the Steering Committee consist of individuals from representative associations and organizations of the legal profession. Adv Menzi Simelane, the Director-General of the Department of Justice was appointed as the Chairperson of the Steering Committee.

The inaugural meeting of the Steering Committee took place on the 15 th February 2006. During this meeting all members expressed their common interests and commitment to work towards the transformation of the legal services sector and the legal profession.

A Drafting Team which will facilitate the drafting of the charter was appointed during the inaugural meeting of the Steering Committee.The Drafting Team had its first meeting on the 2 nd March 2006. This meeting served as a preparatory and planning meeting where members of the Drafting Team divided the work amongst themselves. On the 17 th, 18 th and 19 th March 2006, the Drafting Team had a meeting where the actual drafting of the charter took place. This meeting culminated into the production of a first draft charter.