Masutha said something concerned him in Law’s answer.
“Are you telling me in 23 years‚ you have never had an opportunity‚ desire and so on to tag along a junior member of the bar who is African let alone an African woman. Was it a matter of choice that you preferred yourself not to work with those people‚” Masutha asked.
Law said she had not actively gone out and asked people to join her on a case.
“My practice … has largely been a family law practice. I am not certain how many people want to be involved in that. I have not proactively gone out and invited them to join me in cases‚” Law said.
Masutha also remarked that 23 years down the line‚ Law had not acquired silk status.
Law said her reasons were partially altruistic and partly selfish.
She said for altruistic reasons‚ she felt that if she were to take silk‚ this would put her services beyond reach of people who needed them.
Law said she also did it for selfish reasons because if she took silk‚ she would price herself out of the middle class people who used her services.
Law has had acting stints in the Pietermaritzburg and Durban high courts where she spent 23 weeks.
She described the workload as heavy.
Law said she was ready for appointment to the KwaZulu-Natal bench because she found the job very stimulating and challenging.
“I feel I have coped very well with the workload.”
The interviews continue.