Mitchell’s Plain residents will have access to free legal advice by a local law firm, that won a City of Cape Town tender to host information sessions to empower communities about their rights.
Attorney Fazloodien Abrahams, from Portland, a partner and director of Turner Ntshingana Kirsten (TNK) attorneys and conveyancers, outlined the “Know your rights” programme during the Wolfgat Sub-council meeting at the Lentegeur chambers, on Thursday April 19.
He said the scope of the programme was identified by the Mayoral Urban Regeneration Programme (MURP).
TNK has signed a service agreement with the City to offer residents free wills, mobilise and engage councillors and residents to access their human rights.
Mr Abrahams, was born and raised in Rocklands. He now lives in Portland. He said the programme gave him an opportunity to give back to society. He said their services on the day far exceed their payment from the City by 100%.
The programme includes 20-minute presentations by representatives of the chapter nine institutions such as the Office of the Public Protector, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission), the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), the Auditor-General, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), an Independent Authority to Regulate Broadcasting and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa(Icasa). The institutions are established in terms of Chapter 9 of the South African Constitution to guard democracy.
Mr Abrahams said a workshop, where the Police Ombudsman, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and the City’s ombudsman, would be held at the sub-council chambers tomorrow Thursday April 26 from 10am until 4pm.
Ward 81 councillor, Danny Christians, said the workshop would provide residents with much needed information. He said there were 1.3 million people living in Mitchell’s Plain, many of whom were homeowners, who needed to know how to secure their assets.
“Our grandparents did not want to talk about wills as if they were never gonna die. Now we who are alive have to face the battle of who legally owns the house,” he said.
Other information sessions will take place in Hanover Park, on Monday May 7; in Mitchell’s Plain, on Wednesday May 9, Thursday May 17, and Tuesday May 22 before going to Manenberg, on Tuesday June 5 and Ocean View, on Thursday June 7.