Mayet & Associates Supreme Court of Appeal pro bono correspondent team has been acknowledged in the Daily Maverick.

Pro bono help

During 2021, it was time to reach out to the legal fraternity for pro bono assistance to apply again for leave to appeal. The concerns and questions unearthed in this case should be allowed to be challenged in an appeal, as per the anomalies highlighted in the applicant’s founding affidavit, as there is enough reasonable doubt regarding Kleynhans’ conviction. In addition, his one co-accused has deposed an affidavit stating that he maliciously placed Kleynhans at the murder scene.

Enter the community-spirited superheroes from the legal profession. Only their first names will be mentioned. Western Cape superheroes: Edwin, Brenton, Mark, Shaina and Stephanie. Free State superheroes: Mark, Zureyda, Ovayo and Mamello. Special acknowledgement to Edwin who facilitated the search for these practitioners and to Shaina and Mamello who did the hard work at their (or their law firm’s) cost and many hours of volunteering their professional time. The documents that must be submitted to the Supreme Court are cumbersome, with different agencies to be served within strict periods. The process is expensive.

Kleynhans has made several attempts since his sentencing to get the assistance of Legal Aid to file a leave to appeal, beginning directly after his sentencing – they have steadfastly refused to help. The latest rejection was in 2018, with words that have come to be synonymous with all his applications for help: “no reasonable prospect of success”. 

Only in 2016, after another “no reasonable prospect of success” verdict had been received from Legal Aid, were reasons given. Most of them were countered by the court record, which they ignored.