IOL News reports that the Legal Practice Council (LPC) and its chief executive officer Charity Nzuza, who was accused of maladministration, have been cleared of any wrongdoing with the Legal Service Ombud finding no evidence to support the allegations.

This was after the Ombud established an inquiry following allegations levelled against Nzuza and Alida Janse Van Rensburg, director of the Northern Cape provincial office. The allegations included, among others, financial mismanagement, poor treatment of senior managers and unlawful instructions to alter candidates’ examination marks, as well as poor governance and a lack of transparency. Nzuza was also accused of abusing her powers in seeking to charge the whistleblower for alleged misconduct. However, the Ombud found that the whistleblower’s evidence did not support the allegations, adding that they were unsubstantiated and without merit.

The Ombud’s report recommended that the LPC should conduct a skills audit and organogram review, with particular attention in the present circumstances to the compliance, risk, curatorship, and regulatory functions. The report also stated that LPC should develop a travel policy as it had emerged during the inquiry that officials embarked upon regular local and international travel to conferences and on other business of the organisation. LPC spokesperson Kabelo Letebele said the council remained focused on implementing the recommendations and continuing to build a resilient and accountable institution that served the public and the legal profession with distinction.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Manyane Manyane at IOL News

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