LHR mourns the loss of former colleague Soja Legoabe

Lawyers for Human Rights is mourning the loss of former colleague and friend Andries Soja Legoabe who passed away on Sunday, 24 March 2013.

Legoabe was widely considered a warm, welcoming and lively colleague whose passion for equality and human rights was felt by everyone he came into contact with.

Legoabe worked for LHR for over 20 years before eventually retiring and although officially a finance officer, he could often be found in LHR’s law clinics assisting clients and lawyers.

Reflecting on what it was like to work with Legoabe, LHR national director Jacob van Garderen said, “Bra Soja was the keeper of LHR’s memory and he taught me everything I needed to know about the organisation’s history. I’ve always admired the diversity of his friends and acquaintances who were from vastly different backgrounds, including colleagues and community leaders, politicians and judges.”

Legoabe was described as the ultimate multi-tasker, performing duties of a messenger, a driver, a paralegal and finance administrator.

Advocate Rudolph Jansen furthers that “he was the operational right-hand man of the organisation”.

Judge of the North Gauteng High Court and another former LHR director, Jody Kollapen commented that Legoable embodied the institutional memory of LHR.

“He internalised and reflected the human rights values of LHR. That was always so clear with his interaction with staff, the public and clients,” he added.

Bra Soja will be laid to rest tomorrow (Thursday) at the Anglican Church in Mamelodi East.