Budget constraints have reduced Legal Aid SA’s ability to refer qualifying matters to private practitioners through its Judicare system.
For some accused people, the absence of a Legal Aid lawyer in court can mean the difference between applying for bail that day and spending another seven days or longer behind bars.
That, according to two sources familiar with conditions inside Legal Aid South Africa, is one of the human costs of practitioner and support staff shortages as the organisation grapples with funding pressures and an unresolved labour dispute.
The first source said that where bail can be dealt with at a first court appearance, an accused person may be able to apply immediately.
However, if no Legal Aid practitioner is available, the matter can be postponed for legal representation and bail, with the accused remanded in custody in the meantime – typically for seven days, and often longer.
