The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development appointed a Steering Committee in January 2006. 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.

The members of the Steering Committee consist of individuals from representative associations and organisations of the legal profession. The associations and organisations Steering Committee members are affiliated to include Advocates for Transformation (AFT), Black Lawyers Association (BLA), Black Women Lawyers Association (BWLA), Law Societies of South Africa (LSSA), Independent Advocates Association (IAA), Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), National Paralegal Institute (NPI), Waweth Policy Research Agency, the Society of Law Teachers of Southern Africa Association (SLTSA), Centre for African Renaissance Studies (CARS), and the DoJ&CD Policy Chief Directorate (PCD). The Steering Committee member affiliated to the General Council of the Bar (GCB) resigned from his appointment in July 2006, shortly after the first draft legal services charter was produced.

The mandate of the Steering Committee is to draft a legal services charter and to advise the Minister on further consultative processes with the stakeholders.

Adv Menzi Simelane, the Director-General of the Department of Justice was appointed as the Chairperson of the Steering Committee, and Adv Bonisiwe Makhene, the Chief Director of the Policy Unit was appointed as the Deputy Chairperson. Mr Neville Gawula was appointed as the Head of the Secretariat to the Steering Committee.

A Drafting Team was appointed during the inaugural meeting of the Steering Committee.Ms Brenda Madumisa is the Chairperson of the Drafting Team, with Adv McCaps Motimele, Adv Mark Hawyes and Mr Nano Matlala as members of the Drafting Team. 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.

Steering Committee Members

1. CHAIRPERSON: ADV MENZI SIMELANE
2. DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON: ADV BONISIWE MAKHENE
3. CHAIRPERSON OF DRAFTING COMMITTEE: MS BRENDA MADUMISA
4. MR KEVIN LESTER
5. MR ASHOEK ADHIKARI
6. ADV McCAPS MOTIMELE SC
7. ADV MARK HAWYES
8. MR NANO MATLALA
9. PROF SHADRACK GUTTO
10. PROF CATHI ALBERTYN
11. PROF ENGELA SCHLEMMER
12. MS THULI MADONSELA
13. MR MOTLAI MASHILOANE