FROM RIETGAT TO THE BAR

Whether it’s a labour dispute, a contract gone wrong, or a family matter, most South Africans will need legal help at some point. On 25 October 2025, the Johannesburg Society of Advocates (JSA) will issue the world’s first digital legal briefs through AuxBrief — a step toward justice that is faster, fairer and more transparent for us all. At the helm, under the leadership of JSA Chair, Adv Mahlape Sello SC, is Advocate Tiny Seboko SC — a woman whose life has been all about challenging the status quo.

When you look at the force of nature Tiny is today, it’s hard to imagine her beginnings. She grew up in the poverty-stricken informal settlement of Rietgat, sharing a single room with siblings, cousins and her grandmother. There was no electricity, no running water, and a bucket toilet shared by the community.

Even with so little, Tiny says there was love in abundance. Evenings gathered around the television with her father, a policeman, watching courtroom dramas, is where her love of law took root. When the family later moved to Eldorado Park in Soweto and her father started a security business, she told him she wanted to study law. His answer was firm: “I will not waste my money on my daughter’s education — a girl should marry and have children.”

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WHEN LEGAL TURNS ON LEGAL, JUSTICE FOR ALL IS DENIED

By Mustafa Mohamed, Attorney and Director: Vezi & de Beer Inc.

When advocates sue attorneys, something deeper than a fee dispute is at play. It signals that the professional bond designed to serve justice has started to fray. And when that bond fails, the ripple effects reach far beyond the chambers—they reach the client. For people already under strain, that discord becomes another wound. The law meant to protect them instead exhausts them.

This isn’t theoretical. Recent matters on the rolls show colleague-against-colleague disputes:

Diederichs v Ravele (Gauteng, 2023) — Advocate sued for outstanding fees; attorney alleged delayed or incomplete work.
Solomon v Junkeeparsad (Durban, 2022) — Advocate sought payment on multiple matters; court reaffirmed that attorneys are legally responsible for paying counsel once briefs are issued.
Maite v Borman Duma Zitha Attorneys (Johannesburg, 2023) — Advocate claimed unpaid invoices; the firm argued duplication and disagreement on rates.
Dayanand-Jugroop v Ngento (Gauteng, 2024) — Advocate sued for fees; attorney alleged overreaching.

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WORLD-FIRST LEGAL BRIEF GOES DIGITAL IN SOUTH AFRICA.

On 25 October 2025, the Johannesburg Society of Advocates (JSA) will make history when the first-ever digital legal brief is issued live at the launch of AuxBrief. This world-first innovation, generally described as the new “Uber” of the legal profession, is set to irrevocably change briefing and billing practices. Led by South African women in law, the platform embeds fairness, efficiency, and transparency into every stage of the pipeline — to the benefit of clients, attorneys and advocates alike.

AuxBrief was the vision of Rose-Marie van den Bogert, attorney, director and founder of the legal fintech company Auxcon, who set out to modernise the legal pipeline. This vision is now finally realised through the leadership of Adv Mahlape Sello SC and Adv Tiny Seboko SC of the JSA and the persistence of three senior associates at Vezi de Beer Inc.—Celia de Beer, Nicolette Crous-Nel, and Roslynn Ismail. Together, they left no stone unturned to ensure the innovation could come to life.

AuxBrief, piloted in partnership with JSA, Vezi de Beer Inc., is not only an SA-first, but also a first on the globe. The system allows attorneys to digitally upload legal briefs with the relevant instructions, documents, fees, and timelines. The platform connects them to available advocates who meet the client’s requirements in real-time. Once an appointment is made, terms are locked in, and progress and payments are tracked transparently. This establishes a single source of truth and removes the uncertainty that has plagued the profession for decades.

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