LSSA President, Mvuzo Notyesi, via Acting Executive Director, Tony Pillay has mentioned in an email to Tech4Law that a number of organizations have requested the LPFF to assist small firms.
The LSSA has supported such calls provided there is a legal framework to permit the LPFF to assist. This will therefore be for the LPFF to consider and approve if it can assist. Therefore, at this stage there is no decision and the LPFF has not formally considered same.
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Notice from Legal Practice Council to lawyers on 16 April 2020
Legal Practice Council urges the legal profession to contribute to the South Africa’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund
The Legal Practice Council (the Council) fully appreciates the difficult situation faced by the legal profession in our country as a result of the lockdown imposed in order to minimize the impact of Covid-19 on the lives of South Africans. In this respect the Council is affording serious consideration to establishing a benevolent fund to assist members of the legal profession who are adversely affected as a result of the lockdown. Further details on this initiative and the application requirements shall be communicated in due course.
At the same time the Council, as a corporate citizen, welcomes the South Africa’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund (the Solidarity Fund) set up by government in order to, amongst others, support measures to slow the spread of Covid-19 and assist those in financial distress.
The Council holds a view that despite the situation the profession finds itself in there will be legal practitioners who are in a position to contribute, through donations and/or pro bono services, to the Solidarity Fund. Legal Practitioners or law firms who donate to the Solidarity Fund will benefit in terms of tax rebates as all donations to the fund are tax-deductible.
The donation details of the South Africa’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund are as follows:
Account Name: Solidarity Fund
Bank: Standard Bank
Branch Name: Sandton City
Branch Code: 051001
Account Number: 023070021
Account Type: Current Account
Tel: 0860 001 001
Email: info@responsefund.co.za
Issued by the Legal Practice Council
