Biti to address SA law society on Zimbabwe situation

People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Tendai Biti has been invited to address the South African Law Society's annual general meeting on April 21, where he is expected to highlight the political and economic crisis back home.

The meeting, scheduled to take place at the International Convention Centre in South Africa, is running under the theme The State of the Profession-Looking Forward.

The PDP confirmed the development in a statement yesterday.

"Biti will speak to the challenges lawyers face practicing in a constitutional democracy. He will draw parallels of the environment in South Africa with that in Zimbabwe where political interference is high even in the Judiciary," the statement read.

"The Law Society of South Africa will bring together its six constituent members – The Black Lawyers Association, the Cape Law Society, the Kwazulu Natal Law Society, the Law Society of Northern Provinces and the National Association of Democratic Lawyers."

"Biti has been recognised for his efforts in using constitutional law as a tool for social change and his consistent human rights work. He recently attended a conference in South Africa on the rights of prisoners where he made a presentation on the issue of those imprisoned for life's right to parole and the efforts to ascertain progressive clauses of the Constitution," the statement added. The PDP said it was proud to have its leader recognised globally.

The former Finance minister is currently working with a number of Zimbabweans based in the Diaspora to file a class application on the right to vote for the people who live abroad.