Free legal services offered in Alex
ALEXANDRA - Despite free legal services at their doorstep, Alexandra residents are not using them fully.
Despite free legal services at their doorstep, Alexandra residents are not utilising them.
ENSafrica, the largest law firm in the continent, opened its pro bono (free legal service) offices at Sankopano Community Centre in 2008. But to date, only 4 000 clients have sought their free legal support and mostly on labour and property matters.
The office offers services in 21 areas including domestic violence, traditional marriages, child law, maintenance, debt management, social grants, small claims court, will and estates, insolvency, tax, contracts and employment law, land and property.
Besides case handling, they also established a business centre in 2013 which conducts monthly education workshops.
According to Fiona Mainole, centre co-ordinator, 120 workshops have been conducted by the firm’s experienced legal and business practitioners. The topics include bookkeeping, business management and etiquette, taxation, labour legislation, contracts and tendering.
The latest workshop on 19 March was attended by 90 participants and focused on property law – lease agreements, title deeds, wills, mortgage bonds, insurance and servitudes (a section of land demarcated for public use from private land).
Advising the public to take advantage of the firm’s free legal services and workshops, Mainole stressed that they had capacity and strategies to attend to many cases and large workshops.
Mainole also said the centre would soon be offering free internet services to bridge the digital divide for the community. This would improve their communication, save them travel and user costs, and develop local IT skills.
Details: Fiona Mainole 011 555 0980 or fmainole@ensafrica.com
