Luyanda Loyiso Victor Marele - LLV Marele Attorneys, refused to return the client's file after withdrawing as attorney out of the blue, only 3 days prior to pre-trial. He was asked for it numerous times in person since the end of May 2023 (for over 5 months) and also via SA Legal Aid, as he had been appointed by Legal Aid Judicare. He returned some but not all of the very crucial documents, including evidence given to him before and communications (emails and other) he had with the opposing party.
When this was brought to the attention of Nelisa, manager at Legal Aid Krugersdorp office she refused to escalate the complaint.
Despite being instructed by the client, 3 times (this particular document was returned twice after submission due to spelling and other errors in it), he refused to follow the instruction, which directly benefited the opposing party who is a magistrate who in his personal capacity, made a Defamation of character case against the client after the client pointed out his misconduct in unfairly dismissing a black employee at the residential complex where he was a trustee - "Dismissal unfair in both substance and procedure" - proven by CCMA.
Marele also did not share important correspondence with his client during his appointment and after he withdrew. To this day (7 plus months later) the client still has not received it. Apparently he even stated in a letter to the opposing party something to the extent of ‘that it is an honour to work with them’.
Despite having almost 4 years to do so he never done Discovery. The client had to do it herself without the assistance of an attorney, after his withdrawal in order to submit it on time. He had all the information since their first meeting in Jan 2020, but he never did it in 3 and a half years.
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