WEBBER WENTZEL ATTORNEYS
Attorneys in Sandton

Webber Wentzel has a widely recognised Pro Bono team of experts who co-ordinate our Pro Bono work. Webber Wentzel contributes to the release of the long-awaited State of Capture Report. The matter involved an urgent application made by the President on 13 October 2016 to interdict and prohibit the Public Protector from publishing her report into complaints of improper and unethical conduct by the President and officials of state organs due to their alleged inappropriate relationship with members of the Gupta family (the State Capture Report). The President alleged that he was not afforded an opportunity to provide meaningful input into the investigation. The President sought an order from the Court directing the Public Protector to give him a reasonable opportunity (no less than two months) to provide what he deemed to be meaningful input. Webber Wentzel was successful in Ms Mentor's applications for intervention as a respondent. The President stated that he sought an opportunity to question persons who had provided information to the Public Protector and to do so directly, either in person or through his legal representatives. At the time she was chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on public enterprises. She argued that witnesses may only be questioned through the Public Protector (as an intermediary) and thus not directly by the President and or his legal representative. After our submissions were filed, the President moved from his previous reasoning in respect of a right of an implicated person in the Public Protector's investigations to interview witnesses. Extensive negotiation with the National Director of Public Prosecutions ensued. They were asked to present specifically on how Land Holding Entities can be enhanced in an effort to strengthen Land Reform strategies in South Africa. the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality\. land reform, restitution, redistribution and security of tenure; and. The key legislation likely to be assessed in question includes that which has the greatest direct impact on the citizens of South Africa and legislation that seeks to protect and improve the lives of women and children. The HLP aims to review legislation, assess implementation, identify gaps and propose action steps that impact on specific areas. In other words, this intervention will entail the identification of existing legislation that enables the transformational goals of the developmental state, as well as laws that impede this goal. The HLP has resulted in a raft of detailed, extensive research reports being commissioned from a wide range of experts from across the country. The decision of the High Court to refuse an order for interim sanitation and high mast lighting was taken on appeal to the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court did, however, find that the Province had unduly delayed the decision whether to grant approval and funding for the application for upgrading in situ, and ordered that the Province take that decision within 14 months of the order. During the course of 2010 the Environmental Impact Assessment for an in situ upgrade was undertaken. Our activities in 2010 focused on assisting the community to comment on the draft Scoping Reports and included an expert assessment of the Scoping Reports on behalf of the community. During 2011, after numerous follow ups with the Province on the status of their decision, we were informed that upgrading in situ would take place. The Municipality and the community have now reached an agreement on the development.