Parliament, Wednesday, 21 October 2026 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Xola Nqola, has called on Legal Aid South Africa (Legal Aid SA) management, striking employees, the Minister of Justice and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to urgently resolve the ongoing strike and prevent further disruption to access to justice.
Mr Nqola said reports of accused persons appearing in court without legal representation and criminal proceedings being postponed were deeply concerning. He warned that vulnerable South Africans who depend on state-funded legal assistance must not bear the consequences of an unresolved labour dispute.
“The grievances raised by employees regarding frozen vacancies, remuneration and excessive workloads require a substantive response. At the same time, the disruption of legal services threatens the constitutional rights of people who depend on Legal Aid SA. All parties must recognise the seriousness of this situation and act decisively,” said Mr Nqola.
Earlier this month, the committee engaged with Legal Aid SA on its 2025/26 annual report, during which the institution’s financial constraints and staffing pressures were highlighted. “We are aware of these challenge and at the time indicated our support to the institution.”
Mr Nqola called on Legal Aid SA management to engage meaningfully with employee representatives and present a time-bound plan to address outstanding grievances, including staffing shortages and unsustainable workloads.
He urged the Minister and the department to facilitate a resolution of the labour dispute, address matters falling within their respective mandates and engage with the relevant decision-makers on funding and staffing constraints. The reported failure to secure a meeting between the Minister and striking employees must be followed by a clear commitment to meaningful engagement.
“Employee representatives, in turn, must participate constructively in negotiations to secure a sustainable settlement that protects workers’ interests while limiting harm to the public,” encouraged the Chairperson.
Mr Nqola further called on Legal Aid SA and the relevant justice-sector authorities to assess the impact of the strike on court proceedings and implement lawful measures to minimise prejudice to accused persons whose access to legal representation has been disrupted.
“The parties must agree on concrete steps, clear deadlines and a process for monitoring progress. Court rolls are already heavily burdened. The public deserves to know what is being done to resolve this dispute and restore effective service delivery,” he said.
Mr Nqola said the committee would continue to scrutinise Legal Aid SA’s financial sustainability, staffing capacity and ability to fulfil its constitutional mandate.
“Legal Aid SA is a cornerstone of our constitutional democracy. We cannot allow financial constraints, unresolved labour grievances and inadequate staffing to undermine access to justice. The time for decisive action is now, and all parties must be held accountable for their respective responsibilities. The committee already resolved to conduct a physical oversight visit to the institution by next month,” he elaborated.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MR XOLA NQOLA.
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