Former advocate Malesela Teffo has been arrested for allegedly failing to comply with a court order prohibiting him from practising as an advocate, weeks after he controversially appeared in the Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala trial at the Johannesburg High Court.
Teffo was struck from the roll of advocates by the Gauteng High Court in September 2022 following an application by the Legal Practice Council (LPC).
The LPC has repeatedly maintained that Teffo has not been readmitted to the profession and is therefore not permitted to practise as an advocate in South Africa.
Earlier this month, the LPC revealed that a warrant of arrest had been issued for Teffo after the court found him in contempt of the order that removed him from the roll.
His arrest follows a dramatic appearance at the Johannesburg High Court on 31 August, when he arrived in full legal robes during the attempted murder trial of businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and his co-accused.
Teffo sought to bring an application through his foundation, claiming that the constitutional rights of the accused had been violated.
His appearance immediately raised questions about his legal standing.
Lawyers already representing Matlala and his co-accused objected to Teffo’s intervention and distanced their clients from his attempt to address the court.
Judge Cassim Moosa questioned Teffo about whether he had been struck from the roll and whether he had subsequently been readmitted.
Teffo maintained that he was in good standing with the LPC, but was unable to produce an order showing that he had been readmitted as an advocate.
The court consequently ordered him to provide documentary proof of his readmission before it would entertain any application from him as a legal practitioner.
The LPC subsequently reiterated that Teffo remained struck from the roll and was not legally entitled to practise.
Gauteng LPC director Ignatius Briel also confirmed earlier this month that the council had obtained a contempt order against Teffo for allegedly continuing to act contrary to the original court order.
Teffo’s latest arrest is understood to relate to his alleged non-compliance with that court order.
Further details surrounding his arrest, including when he is expected to appear in court, are still awaited.
