Threats against Madlanga Commission co-commissioner Advocate Sandile Khumalo SC, senior advocate Myron Dewrance SC and members of Dewrance’s family have been condemned as an attack on the legal profession and the rule of law.
The alleged intimidation has reportedly escalated from threats against the two advocates to explicit threats of sexual violence against women connected to them.
Advocates for Transformation, which represents the interests of transformation and equal representation in the legal profession, said it had decided to speak publicly after keeping the matter private while preliminary inquiries were conducted.
The organisation said the threats had been sent from multiple cellphone numbers to several recipients. In some cases, the communications allegedly showed knowledge of the advocates’ locations, workplaces and movements.
The allegations have not been linked publicly to any identified individual, and AFT has stressed that its inquiries are still at an early stage.
The organisation has not accused a particular person, the Johannesburg Society of Advocates or any other body of sending the messages.
Instead, it has called for a proper investigation and warned that threats against legal practitioners and their families cannot be allowed to influence professional decisions or disciplinary processes.
Threats Allegedly Escalated
AFT said the threats appeared to target both Khumalo and Dewrance, but for different professional reasons.
Khumalo is serving as a commissioner on the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. He also previously chaired the professional committee of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates and served on its Bar Council after being nominated by AFT.
Dewrance is AFT’s national chairperson.
The organisation said the apparent targeting of Dewrance could not reasonably be separated from his leadership role, while the threats against Khumalo could not be separated from his professional duties.
AFT said threatening communications repeatedly blamed Khumalo for what occurred during disciplinary proceedings involving a member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates who faced allegations of serious professional misconduct.
The messages allegedly instructed Dewrance and members of his family to “blame Sandile” and referred to AFT, its members and its leadership.
AFT said the matter became more serious when the threats expanded to include explicit threats of sexual violence against women who had no involvement in the underlying professional dispute.
It said the escalation was especially alarming because South Africa is already dealing with high levels of violence against women.
The organisation warned that sexual violence threats must not become accepted tools of intimidation, retaliation or coercion.
Legal Bodies Condemn Intimidation
The Legal Practice Council condemned the reported threats and said conduct aimed at undermining legal practitioners also threatened the country’s constitutional order.
LPC spokesperson Kabelo Letebele said the council opposed any attempt to intimidate advocates while they carried out professional duties.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms any conduct that seeks to undermine the independence, safety and integrity of legal practitioners,” Letebele said.
“Such acts are not only an attack on the legal profession but also pose a threat to the rule of law and our constitutional democracy.”
The council’s position places the matter beyond a private dispute between individual advocates.
Threats against lawyers, advocates, investigators or officials involved in disciplinary or public-interest work can affect whether people are willing to perform those roles independently.
If family members are targeted, the pressure can extend beyond the professional concerned and create fear among people who have no role in the dispute.
The Johannesburg Society of Advocates has also condemned threats against advocates and their families and called on authorities to investigate urgently.
The society has expressed solidarity with Khumalo and Dewrance while the circumstances surrounding the communications are examined.
Commission Says Security Details Are Private
The Madlanga Commission has declined to discuss detailed security arrangements involving the inquiry or its personnel.
Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said the commission did not discuss such details publicly.
The response reflects the difficulty faced by public inquiries that must protect their officials without disclosing information that could compromise security.
Khumalo’s role on the commission places him at the centre of an inquiry dealing with serious allegations and testimony that may affect powerful individuals and institutions.
The commission’s work depends on commissioners, legal teams, witnesses and staff being able to perform their duties without intimidation.
Any attempt to frighten or pressure people involved in the process could affect public confidence in the inquiry, even before investigators establish who sent the threats or why.
AFT said threats against those administering justice should be treated as a serious warning rather than as an ordinary professional disagreement.
It said intimidation could escalate if it was not confronted quickly.
Police Investigation Called For
Tebogo Khaas, chairperson of Public Interest SA, called on police to urgently investigate the threats.
Public Interest SA promotes transparency, ethical governance and accountability.
Khaas said threats of this nature had no place in society and should not be dismissed as an internal dispute within the legal profession.
The investigation will have to establish the origin of the messages, the people who sent them, the motive behind them and whether the threats amount to criminal offences.
It may also have to determine how the senders allegedly obtained information about the targeted individuals’ workplaces, movements or locations.
The preservation of messages, cellphone numbers and other digital evidence could assist investigators.
However, the existence of threatening communications does not by itself establish who was responsible.
That is why AFT has been careful not to name a suspect or accuse the person who was involved in the earlier disciplinary proceedings.
The organisation said its inquiries were still preliminary and that responsibility had not been established.
Professional Duties Under Pressure
AFT said advocates should not face threats for performing their professional duties.
It also said disciplinary proceedings should not be met with intimidation and that an advocate’s family should never be used to undermine professional independence.
The warning is significant because disciplinary systems depend on professionals being willing to investigate complaints, assess misconduct allegations and make decisions without fear of retaliation.
If threats become a way to influence those decisions, the integrity of the entire system could be weakened.
The alleged targeting of women through sexual violence threats adds another layer of concern.
Such threats can be designed to frighten not only the intended target but also their families, colleagues and wider support networks.
AFT said it would not allow the intimidation to influence its nominations, positions or work.
It also said it would pursue all lawful measures necessary to protect those affected and ensure that those responsible were identified and held accountable.
The organisation did not disclose operational details about the security steps being considered.
No Identified Suspect Named
At this stage, no person has been publicly identified as being behind the threats.
The possible connection to disciplinary proceedings is an investigative line and not a finding of responsibility.
The fact that messages allegedly refer to a professional dispute does not prove that anyone involved in that dispute sent them.
Those distinctions are important because the allegations involve serious criminal conduct and could damage reputations if reported as established facts.
The investigation must still determine whether the threats were sent by one person or several people, whether the communications came from genuine or disguised numbers and whether the alleged knowledge of movements came from direct surveillance, public information or another source.
The answers may help establish whether the matter involved a personal grievance, an organised intimidation campaign or a broader attempt to interfere with legal and public accountability processes.
For now, the focus is on ensuring the safety of Khumalo, Dewrance and their families while the reported threats are investigated.
The legal bodies’ response has made clear that intimidation will not be treated as an acceptable part of professional disagreement.
The case also highlights the risks faced by people who serve on inquiries, disciplinary bodies and other institutions responsible for upholding accountability.
AFT said it would continue its work and would not be forced into silence.
The LPC, the Johannesburg Society of Advocates and civil-society representatives have called for the matter to be investigated through lawful channels.
Until that investigation is complete, the identity of those behind the threats remains unknown.
What has been established is that senior legal professionals and their families have allegedly been targeted, that the threats have escalated to include sexual violence, and that legal bodies regard the conduct as a direct threat to professional independence and the rule of law.
