House Chairperson, all Parliaments face the task of making and unmaking laws. Sometimes it's a pity that some take years. The Balkanisation of our country under apartheid meant that the different TBVC states of yesteryear enacted their own laws regulating the attorneys' profession in certain instances. Some of the laws of former Bophuthatswana and Venda, for example, have remained in existence until the present time. In 1998, government introduced an interim measure to extend insurance cover in the now defunct TBVC areas to protect trust funds administered by attorneys. However, such a measure was still going to raise problems, because South Africa as one country had different requirements in certain areas for the legal profession. [Interjections.]
Chair, it is unfortunate that you try to debate but the noise from this side is such that you can't hear yourself.
The issuing of fund certificates to attorneys and the proper control over trust funds administered by them continued to raise challenges. It was clear that the TBVC legislation continuing into the present could no longer exist side by side with current South African legislation. Changes had to occur, but if we concentrate more in this House maybe the changes would have occurred long ago. The Supreme Court of Appeal asked the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development to consider whether the Law Society of Bophuthatswana served any useful purpose in the present circumstances. That and many other questions prompted the Minister to introduce the present Bill.
This Bill will remove disparities affecting attorneys and candidate attorneys in the territories comprising the former Republics of Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei. It will also regulate the engagement of candidate attorneys and their right of appearance in our courts. It is right that citizens can take action against the Attorneys Fidelity Fund in other courts rather than only in the High Court.
Finally, the Bill clears up the areas of jurisdiction of law societies. Sadly, these are interim measures but they will go some distance towards removing disparities and improving the training and functioning of attorneys. Cope supports this long-awaited Bill and requests the Minister to move ahead with the rationalisation that the legal profession and others regard as necessary. I thank you.