Pretoria - While controversial advocate Malesela Teffo is waiting to hear whether his career is over following numerous complaints against him, the EFF has described him as an embarrassment to the legal profession.
Teffo opened a case of crimen injuria against party leader Julius Malema last week at the Joburg Central and Brixton police stations.
Malema criticised him on social media for withdrawing as counsel for some accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial and said he was disrespectful. In a media statement the EFF said Teffo was “attention-seeking” in his “frivolous” case against Malema.
National spokesperson Sinawo Tambo branded Teffo’s opening of a criminal case, another “uncontrollable desire (by Teffo) to be in the news”.
“Teffo is an embarrassment to the legal profession; he’s used the tragedy of Meyiwa to build a profile for himself,” he said. Teffo would not be a person of interest to the public or the media if it was not for the “never-ending” case of Meyiwa.
He accused Teffo of exposing his opportunism by trying to build a profile as a celebrity. Thambo said Teffo’s earlier conduct in defending the accused in the Senzo murder trial was “shameful and unbecoming”.
Given Teffo’s conduct, the criticism levelled against him by Malema could never be regarded as defamation, Tambo said.
He said the matter was so frivolous and brought by “such a clownish” individual that no self-respecting law-enforcement agency could take it seriously. The EFF advised Teffo to pursue a career where he would be the centre of attention, “which he so desperately desires”.
Legal Practice Council spokesperson, Kabelo Letebele, said they were still awaiting judgment in their application to have Teffo struck off the roll.
The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, has reserved judgment following the legal watchdog’s arguments that Teffo was not suitable to continue with his legal career.
It was said more than 22 complaints from the public and other bodies were received against him. But Teffo insisted he was an advocate of good standing and did not fear “faceless” complainants. “I only fear God.”
Pretoria News