a) As at 31 March 2022, Legal Aid SA had a total of 221 vacancies out of 2 689 budgeted positions. This translates to 91, 8% Staffing level vs an APP Target of 95% and 8.2% vacancy rate.
Table1: Vacancies as at 31 March 2022
Province |
Budgeted Posts |
Recruited Positions |
Vacant Positions |
Recruitment Percentage |
Gauteng |
493 |
464 |
29 |
94.1% |
Eastern Cape |
405 |
373 |
32 |
92.1% |
Free State |
194 |
184 |
10 |
94.8% |
North West |
145 |
143 |
2 |
98.6% |
KwaZulu-Natal |
419 |
365 |
54 |
87.1% |
Limpopo |
174 |
167 |
7 |
96.0% |
Mpumalanga |
171 |
150 |
21 |
87.7% |
Western Cape |
369 |
337 |
32 |
91.3% |
Northern Cape |
106 |
88 |
18 |
83.0% |
National Office |
213 |
197 |
16 |
92.5% |
Overall Nationally |
2 689 |
2 468 |
221 |
91.8% |
b) As at 20 May 2022, Legal Aid SA has a total of 176 vacancies out of 2699 budgeted positions. This translates to 93,5% Staffing level vs an APP Target of 95% and 6.5% vacancy rate.
Table 2: Vacancies as at 20 May 2022
Province |
Establishment |
Filled Positions |
Vacant positions |
Percentage filled |
Gauteng |
494 |
471 |
23 |
95.3% |
Eastern Cape |
406 |
380 |
26 |
93.6% |
Free State |
193 |
180 |
13 |
93.3% |
North West |
146 |
140 |
6 |
95.9% |
KwaZulu-Natal |
421 |
394 |
27 |
93.6% |
Limpopo |
175 |
169 |
6 |
96.6% |
Mpumalanga |
172 |
156 |
16 |
90.7% |
Western Cape |
369 |
345 |
24 |
93.5% |
Northern Cape |
109 |
94 |
15 |
86.2% |
National Office |
214 |
194 |
20 |
90.7% |
Overall nationally |
2 699 |
2 523 |
176 |
93.5% |
c) To cushion the 2021/2022 budget cut of R182,027,000 and the envisaged MTEF 2022/2024 baseline reduction of R352,623,000, Legal Aid SA reduced its establishment by 119 positions (91 legal practitioners and 28 support staff) in 2021/2022.
In addition, Legal Aid SA implemented various cost cutting measures to optimize available resources. This includes the reduction of Employee Benefits, operational and capital expenditure budget and minimal use of consultants. Table 3 below depicts abolished positions per province.
Table 3: Abolished positions in 2021/2022: Vacant Posts Abolished from the Establishment April 2021
No. |
Province |
Local Office |
Position |
Eastern Cape |
Butterworth |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Eastern Cape |
Butterworth |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Eastern Cape |
Butterworth |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 2 |
|
Eastern Cape |
East London |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 2 |
|
Eastern Cape |
Grahamstown |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Eastern Cape |
Grahamstown |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 2 |
|
Eastern Cape |
King Williams Town |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Eastern Cape |
King Williams Town |
Administration Officer |
|
Eastern Cape |
Mthatha |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Eastern Cape |
Mthatha |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 2 |
|
Eastern Cape |
Port Elizabeth |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Eastern Cape |
Port Elizabeth |
Administration Officer |
|
Eastern Cape |
Port Elizabeth |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Eastern Cape |
Port Elizabeth |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Eastern Cape |
Port Elizabeth |
Legal Secretary |
|
Eastern Cape |
Uitenhage |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Eastern Cape |
Uitenhage |
Legal Secretary |
|
Total for Eastern Cape |
17 |
||
Free State and North West |
Bethlehem |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State and North West |
Bethlehem |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 2 |
|
Free State and North West |
Bloemfontein |
Legal Practitioner - HC |
|
Free State and North West |
Bloemfontein |
Supervisory Legal Practitioner - Criminal |
|
Free State and North West |
Bloemfontein |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State and North West |
Bloemfontein |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Free State and North West |
Bloemfontein |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State and North West |
Bloemfontein |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Free State and North West |
Bloemfontein |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 1 |
|
Free State and North West |
Bloemfontein |
Legal Secretary |
|
Free State and North West |
Botshabelo |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Free State and North West |
Botshabelo |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Free State and North West |
Mafikeng |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Free State and North West |
Mafikeng |
Administration Officer |
|
Free State and North West |
Mafikeng |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State and North West |
Phuthaditjhaba |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State and North West |
Welkom |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State and North West |
Welkom |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State and North West |
Potchefstroom |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State and North West |
Rustenburg |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State and North West |
Welkom |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Free State and North West |
Lichtenburg |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Total for Free State and North West |
22 |
||
Gauteng |
Benoni |
Supervisory Legal Practitioner - Criminal |
|
Gauteng |
Benoni |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Gauteng |
Ga-Rankuwa |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Gauteng |
Ga-Rankuwa |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Gauteng |
Ga-Rankuwa |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Gauteng |
Ga-Rankuwa |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Gauteng |
Johannesburg |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Gauteng |
Johannesburg |
Legal Practitioner - HC |
|
Gauteng |
Johannesburg |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Gauteng |
Pretoria |
Legal Secretary |
|
Gauteng |
Soshanguve |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Gauteng |
Soweto |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Gauteng |
Soweto |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Gauteng |
Tembisa |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Total for Gauteng |
14 |
||
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Durban |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Durban |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Durban |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Empangeni |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Empangeni |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Empangeni |
Administration Officer |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Newcastle |
Administration Officer |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Pietermaritzburg |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Pietermaritzburg |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Pietermaritzburg |
Office Assistant |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Pietermaritzburg |
Legal Practitioner-HC |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Pinetown |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Port Shepstone |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Port Shepstone |
Administration Officer |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Umlazi |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Umlazi |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Verulam |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Verulam |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Verulam |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Vryheid |
Office Assistant |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal Total |
20 |
||
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Ermelo |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 1 |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Ermelo |
Administration Officer |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Middelburg |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Nelspruit |
Administration Officer |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Nelspruit |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Nelspruit |
Paralegal - HC |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Polokwane |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 2 |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Polokwane |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Polokwane |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Tzaneen |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Witbank |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Witbank |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 1 |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga Total |
12 |
||
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Athlone |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Athlone |
Administration Officer |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Athlone |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 1 |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Bellville |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Bellville |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Caledon |
Administration Officer |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Cape Town |
Receptionist/Typist |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Cape Town |
Legal Practitioner - HC |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Cape Town |
Legal Practitioner - HC |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Cape Town |
Legal Practitioner - HC |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Cape Town |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 1 |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Colesberg |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
George |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Kimberley |
Paralegal |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Kimberley |
Legal Practitioner - DC |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Stellenbosch |
Office Assistant |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Stellenbosch |
Administration Officer |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Upington |
Legal Practitioner - RC |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Upington |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Vredendal |
Legal Secretary |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
Worcester |
Legal Secretary |
|
Western Cape and Northern Cape |
21 |
||
National Office |
Communications |
Intern |
|
National Office |
Communications |
Intern |
|
National Office |
Legal Development |
Admin Officer/Librarian |
|
National Office |
Legal Development |
Legal Practitioner - Civil Level 2 |
|
National Office |
National Ops |
Legal Support Practitioner |
|
National Office |
National Ops |
Legal Training Administrator / Coordinator |
|
National Office |
National Ops |
Administration Officer |
|
Total for National Office |
7 |
||
Overall Total Nationally |
113 |
Table 4: Abolished positions in 2021/2022: Vacant Posts Abolished from the Establishment in May 2021
No. |
Province |
Local Office |
Position |
Eastern Cape |
Mthatha |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Free State & North West |
Mafikeng |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Newcastle |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Nelspruit |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Polokwane |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Limpopo and Mpumalanga |
Witbank |
Candidate Attorney |
|
Total |
6 |