What’s Happening at Legal Aid South Africa?
For seven years, workers at Legal Aid SA have been raising concerns about pay, retirement age, workloads and how decisions are made. Even though some improvements have been made, many of the same issues keep coming up.
A Look Back at 2019
In 2019, staff submitted a memo pointing out problems:
- Some employees were told to retire at 60, even though their contracts said 65.
- Salary reviews that were due in 2012 never happened.
- Lawyers juggled hundreds of civil files, and support staff felt under‑qualified.
- Workers said they weren’t really consulted – meetings felt like a checkbox exercise.
What Changed After 2019?
The current leadership, led by the CEO, says they have tackled several long‑standing complaints:
- Added life and funeral insurance.
- Improved office conditions and gave workers the tools they need.
- Introduced performance bonuses, paid professional fees, and offered scholarships.
The union, SALAWU, acknowledges these steps as positive progress.
What’s Still Unresolved?
Despite the improvements, workers say two core problems remain:
- Retirement age – Employees want the policy reversed from 60 back to 65, and they ask for anyone who retired since January this year to be reinstated.
- Salaries – Pay benchmarking that was supposed to start years ago still hasn’t been implemented, even after the new board took over in May 2024.
Workload Pressure
Both the 2019 memo and the latest one highlight heavy caseloads:
- Lawyers often handle more than 300 civil files at once.
- When colleagues leave due to resignation, death, retirement or layoffs, their work piles onto the remaining staff.
- The union warns that this overload hurts employee wellbeing, lowers work quality, and undermines Legal Aid SA’s constitutional mission.
Management says budget cuts block hiring, but they are running “staff optimisation” projects to try to reduce case overloads.
Consultation – Still a Sticking Point
Workers continue to call for genuine dialogue:
- They want meetings that truly listen, not just formalities.
- Management insists they have scheduled talks, but the union says many get postponed or cancelled.
Conclusion
Legal Aid South Africa has made some strides in benefits and working conditions, yet the fundamental battles over retirement age, fair pay, manageable workloads, and real communication persist. For the staff, the fight isn’t just about numbers – it’s about being able to do their jobs well while being treated with respect. Until those core issues are solved, the cycle of complaints and strikes is likely to continue.
