- Calvin Jabulani Padi revealed his robbery conviction in 1992 and his rape conviction in 2002.
- Padi is now seeking admission as an advocate, but the LPC could not reach a decision regarding his application and did not adequately explain its stance to the court.
- Judge Hendricks has ordered sworn explanations from both the provincial and national levels of the LPC before proceeding.
A man from the North West, previously convicted of robbery and later of rape, served years in prison before completing parole. He is now trying to become an advocate.
Calvin Jabulani Padi went to the High Court in the North West, seeking an order for his admission as a legal practitioner and to have the Legal Practice Council (LPC) enrol him as an advocate.
In his application, Padi admitted that he was convicted of robbery on 21 February 1992 and later convicted of rape on 9 September 2002.
Padi explained to the court that his robbery conviction occurred during political violence in the early 1990s. He and others hijacked a BMW intended to protect communities during conflicts between supporters of the IFP and those aligned with the ANC.
He received a six-year prison sentence, part of which was suspended, and later engaged in rehabilitation programmes aimed at reintegration.
His rape conviction was much more serious. Padi stated that he and a co-accused were found guilty in the Mmabatho Regional Court. The case was then referred to the High Court for sentencing, where he received a 16-year prison sentence.
In court documents, Padi stated, “I served my 16-year prison sentence until I was released on parole by the Parole board of Boksburg Correctional Centre on 18 November 2010, due to good behaviour after serving eight years and six months.”
He added, “I completed my parole period and fully served the 16-year sentence by 8 December 2017, under the supervision of Mafikeng Community Corrections.”
Padi also mentioned that he previously applied unsuccessfully for admission in 2015. Despite this history, the North West Bar Association issued a certificate of no objection in August 2025, stating there was no known reason to deny him admission.
Legal Practice Council fails to decide
The problem arose when the LPC considered his latest application. The North West Provincial Affairs Committee could not agree and became deadlocked. The matter was then sent to the provincial council, which voted in the majority against Padi’s admission.
However, despite this, the LPC did not provide an affidavit explaining its reasons. It failed to submit a meaningful report to the court and instead told Padi to collect his papers and argue his application himself.
This response received a strong rebuke from the judge. Judge President RD Hendricks commented, “This is not at all helpful to this court.”
Judge Hendricks continued, “It is completely inappropriate for the LPC to simply tell an applicant to argue their case in court without stating the reasons for refusing to issue a letter of no objection or a certificate of good standing.”
He also stated that when provincial structures were deadlocked, the issue should have been escalated to the national office for intervention. In clear terms, Judge Hendricks said, “As the regulatory body of the legal profession, it cannot simply leave it to the court.”
Court demands answers
The court postponed Padi’s admission application to 24 July 2026. It ordered the Legal Officer for Professional Affairs at the North West provincial office of the LPC to submit a detailed affidavit explaining why a proper decision was not made, why no meaningful report was filed, and why the matter was not escalated sooner.
The National Director of the LPC, or a representative, must also file an affidavit outlining the steps to be taken next.
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