Zuma can't 'save' advocates

The courts will save advocates Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi from further disgrace - not an inquiry instituted by President Jacob Zuma into their fitness to hold office.

Professor Shadrack Gutto, director of the Centre for African Renaissance Studies at Unisa, said the pair - recently struck off the roll of advocates - could rely only on a higher court to reverse the North Gauteng High Court's ruling that ended their legal careers.

Gutto was responding to Zuma's notice of his intention to suspend Jiba and Mrwebi from office pending an inquiry into their fitness to hold office.

But Gutto said the inquiry would not carry enough weight to overturn the decision of the High Court, which found Jiba was dishonest and Mwrebi a liar in their handling of the Richard Mdluli prosecution.

Pretoria High Court Judge Francis Legodi ordered they be struck from the roll of advocates.

"An inquiry is an administrative exercise and cannot trump the decisions of a court of law," Gutto said.

Zuma has given Jiba and Mrwebi an opportunity to argue why they should not be suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry.