Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola is confident that the Office of the Legal Service Ombuds will take to task lawyers who defraud their clients.

Speaking during the launch of the Office of the Legal Service Ombuds, he said that common crimes of misrepresentation had characterised some of the legal firms in the country.

“There is no doubt that all of us take a dim view of legal practitioners who misrepresent their clients as we want a legal profession which commands consumer confidence. Distressingly, some lawyers have a tendency of robbing clients of payouts from the Road Accident Fund, lawyers colluding with peers at the expense of their clients, lawyers being dishonest and incompetent, to name but a few,” he said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently appointed Justice Siraj Desai as Legal Services Ombudsman.

Lamola gave his full confidence in Justice Desai and his team, urging them to pursue complaints vigorously.

“We certainly believe that the Ombudsman will take the legal profession to new heights by ensuring that those in the profession meet the ethical standards required in a legal system that serves all South Africans with fairness and dignity within the rule of law,” Lamola said.

He also urged the public to speak out against maladministration, assuring them that their complaints would be taken seriously.

“To our people all over the country, should you be a victim of unscrupulous lawyers, the Office of the Ombud is there to assist you. It will address the systematic injustices within the legal profession, foster accountability and provide redress. Our people have a right to be treated with respect and integrity," Lamola said.