- The LPC says Teffo has not been allowed to return to the legal profession.
- A charge sheet widely shared online appears to indicate that he was found not guilty on all six criminal charges.
- The regulator emphasises that returning to the profession requires a formal legal process and approval from the High Court.
The Legal Practice Council (LPC) has dismissed rumours that Advocate Malesela Daniel Teffo has been readmitted to the legal profession.
This follows a charge sheet circulating on social media that appears to show his acquittal on six criminal charges, fuelling speculation about his possible return to practice.
In a media statement, the LPC said reports and posts on social media suggesting Teffo had been reinstated or readmitted were false. It stated unequivocally that these reports are incorrect.
It added that Teffo remains struck from the roll and has not been readmitted, so he is not entitled to practise as a legal professional in South Africa.
Charge sheet sparks speculation
The charge sheet circulating on social media seems to show that Teffo, after pleading not guilty to six criminal charges on 29 January 2025, was found not guilty on all counts on 20 July 2026. The document also notes that the matter was marked as not reviewable.
Neither Teffo nor the National Prosecuting Authority had officially confirmed what is shown on the charge sheet. Conviction.co.za has not been able to independently verify the court record.
Nonetheless, the document has fuelled speculation that Teffo could soon return to legal practice, prompting the LPC to issue a public statement to clarify his status.
LPC says court process still needed
The LPC explained that under the Legal Practice Act and the rules governing the legal profession, readmission is not automatic.
According to the LPC, an application for readmission has to be carefully considered. The LPC must decide if an applicant is a fit and proper person before the matter can go before the High Court.
The LPC confirms that it has not considered or approved any application for Teffo’s possible readmission, and no decision supporting his return to the legal profession has been taken.
The regulator also urged the public and the media to check the status of legal practitioners using official LPC communication channels before publishing or relying on unverified reports.
A long-running legal dispute
Teffo was struck from the roll of legal practitioners by the High Court in Pretoria in September 2022 after proceedings brought by the LPC.
He later challenged parts of that judgment, and in October 2023 was found in contempt of court for failing to comply with the strike-off order.
In August 2024, Judge B Neukircher of the High Court in Pretoria dismissed his application for leave to appeal, finding he had no reasonable prospects of success.
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