The Law Society of Lesotho held its elective conference and annual general meeting on 25 July 2025, in the district of Leribe. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) saw a high turnout from members of the organisation, as well as international delegates from South Africa and Eswatini, who attended to confirm and reiterate their support for and collaborative with the Law Society of Lesotho. Among the South African delegates was the Chief Executive Officer of the Legal Practice Council (LPC), Charity Nzuza, who delivered a message of support at the annual general meeting of the Law Society of Lesotho. She spoke about the importance of collaboration. She said that the collaboration between the LPC and the Law Society of Lesotho is a shared commitment of upholding the rule of law, strengthening the legal profession and ensuring that justice is not just a principle but a lived reality for the citizens of Lesotho and those of South Africa. Ms Nzuza expressed her appreciation for the work that the Law Society of Lesotho continues to do and how both organisations continue to evolve for the better.
Ms Nzuza said the LPC and the Law Society of Lesotho, as regulatory authorities, together with legal practitioners, carry a profound responsibility. ‘The public places its trust in us, not only to know the law but to embody its highest ideals. That trust must be earned and maintained through unwavering ethical conduct and professionalism,’ Ms Nzuza added. She pointed out that in every courtroom and consultation, legal practitioners must be guided by integrity, fairness, respect for the dignity of all, and a commitment to the rule of law and access to justice. She added that professionalism is not just about how legal practitioners conduct themselves, but it is also about how they serve and remain accountable to their clients and the vulnerable members of society. ‘Access to justice remains one of the most pressing challenges in our society. Too many of our fellow citizens are excluded from legal representation, simply because they cannot afford it. This is not just a legal issue it has now become a moral issue.’
Ms Nzunza added that the legal profession and regulatory bodies must continue to find ways to make legal services more accessible. She pointed out that access to justice must not be just a privilege, but a right for all. ‘As we look towards the future, we must embrace the tools that will shape the next generation of legal practice,’ Ms Nzunza said. She said that artificial intelligence is transforming the legal profession in ways one could not have imagined. She added that this tool offers speed and new possibilities. However, she pointed out that with this tool, it comes with the responsibility to use it wisely.
During his message of support, the General Secretary of the Black Lawyers Association (BLA), Christopher Mamathuntsha, said that the BLA stands for transformation of the legal fraternity and the judiciary. He added that there must be a sustainable programme to empower legal practitioners. ‘So that when we speak the language of transformation, we have ready-made practitioners. Practitioners who are ready to assume their roles on the bench. Men and women who are ready to act as judges in our courts and transform the legal profession,’ Mr Mamathuntsha said. He pointed out that there should be sustainable programmes by respective law societies to achieve the development of legal practitioners.
Mr Mamathuntsha added that such programmes must include, among others, training and emphasis on legal education. ‘I am told that there will be a launch of trial advocacy for the first time in Lesotho, in collaboration with Advocates for Transformation and the LPC. These are the programmes that must ensure that the dream and objective of transformation are met,’ Mr Mamathuntsha added. He pointed out that the LPC in South Africa regulates about 45 000 legal practitioners, each of whom pays almost R5 000 in subscription fees. He said that the money must be utilised for increased training and increased advocacy among legal practitioners.
Mr Mamathuntsha added that legal practitioners cannot have councils that do not serve them. He said counselors who serve in regulatory bodies were elected by legal practitioners. ‘The moment they sit on the other side, they say we are regulators, that is what the Act says. That debate must be rearranged,’ Mr Mamathuntsha noted. He pointed out that the BLA is strongly advocating for the amendment of the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014. He said that there must be accountability from the people that they elected to office. Mr Mamathuntsha noted some of the programmes that they have been doing, such as webinars for legal practitioners. He said that it is good to see the LPC ploughing back to the legal profession. Mr Mamathuntsha pointed out that as the BLA they support the Law Society of Lesotho, he added that there must be more interregional collaborations in training and all the other areas of need, and the collaborations must start in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, sharing resources and skills among each other.
The Secretary General of the Law Society of Eswatini, Kwanele Magagula, said that the leadership of the Law Society of Eswatini shall always support initiatives of the Law Society of Lesotho. He pointed out that it was important to intensify the collaborations between these organisations of mutual interest. Mr Magagula added that the leadership of the Law Society of Eswatini stands for access to justice and the independence of legal profession. He said that whenever there is a threat in the legal profession, it becomes a threat to access to justice. He pointed out that the Law Society of Eswatini had encountered some challenges, which saw the president of that organisation incarcerated for eight days for a contempt of court for an affidavit that did not go well with the judge.
Mr Magagula spoke of the support they had received during these difficult times, particularly from the Law Society of Eswatini, the BLA and the SADC Lawyers’ Association. He pointed out that the Law Society of Eswatini remains appreciative and grateful for all the generous support they received from these organisations.
The President of the Law Society of Lesotho, Lintle Tuke, said one may wonder why his organisation has strategic partners, with organisations such as the LPC, BLA, Law Society of Eswatini and Advocates for Transformation. He pointed out that the answer can be found in s 4 of the Law Society Act 13 of 1983, which which provides for the Society ‘to affiliate to, or forge links with any international or regional Bar or Law Associations as the Society may think fit.’
Kgomotso Ramotsho Cert Journ (Boston) Cert Photography (Vega) is the news reporter at De Rebus.
