Tamariskia community responds to offer of free legal counselling
A fortnight ago, the Law Society of Namibia hosted another free legal advice day, this time in Swakopmund’s Tamariskia township where the local residents have been gathering since early morning on Friday 18 August for the opportunity to speak to a lawyer.
This was the fourth free legal advice day hosted this year by the Law Society in collaboration with the staff of the Office of the Ombudsman. For this particular event, another partner, the Office of the Master of the High Court joined in to help serve the 65 community members who came for a consultation.
The legal advice offered at the free legal advice days typically covers issues such as labour disputes, domestic violence, drafting of wills and winding up estates, divorce proceedings and maintenance.
Following the free legal advice day in Tamariskia, the Law Society stated that the free legal advice days are part of the society’s objectives to make legal services more accessible to those members of the public who can not afford legal services. The Office of the Ombudsman has been instrumental in the success of the project since it was launched in August 2014 by supporting this project and assisting the Law Society with the venues and advertising in the regions. When the project started in 2014 only two free legal advice days were conducted throughout the year. It has now increased to six days.
At the first three free legal advice days in Mariental, Ongwediva and Katutura, some 313 individuals received counselling on the legal issues they had to deal with.
The next free legal advice day is scheduled for 22 September in Tsumeb and the last one for the year will be hosted in Gobabis on 13 October.
Pictured at the Tamariskia free legal advice day are the staff of the Office of the Ombudsman, the Office of the Master of the High Court, members of the Law Society of Namibia, the Mayor of Swakopmund, the office of the Governor, members of the Namibian Police, and several legal practitioners in private practice. The day’s convenor, Anne-Doris Hans-Kaumbi, a counsellor of the Law Society is seated in the front centre.
