Casoojee's plea to Justice Minister regarding his paternal struggle

In an emotional and public plea, Joburg-based father Asif Casoojee has called on Justice Minister Mmamoloko “Nkhensani” Kubayi to urgently intervene in what he describes as a deeply painful legal struggle that has kept him separated from his children for more than 3 years.

Casoojee accuses attorney Kaamilah Paulse, who represents his ex-wife, of manipulating the legal system to isolate him from his children and deny him meaningful access. Once married to Paulse's client, Casoojee says their post-divorce custody dispute has turned into a campaign of alienation, with him being systematically removed from his children’s lives.

Speaking to the media outside the Western Cape High Court this week, Casoojee described how his rights as a father have been eroded through what he calls calculated legal tactics. “I am pleading with Minister Kubayi to look into this case. I have followed the law and respected the court process, but I am being punished for wanting to be a father. The system has been used to silence me.”

Casoojee claims Paulse has overstepped her role as attorney, taking on functions beyond legal representation, such as appointing herself as the children’s main school contact. Despite paying school fees and supporting his children financially, Casoojee says he is treated like an outsider.

He recounted being denied entry to a Father’s Day event in 2024, saying the school told him that Paulse was registered as next of kin. “That day broke me,” he said. “I was told I could not participate in an event made for fathers. My children saw that. They saw me being turned away.”

Earlier this year, the Legal Practice Council’s Appeals Tribunal found prima facie evidence that Paulse had committed professional misconduct. According to The Star and IOL, the case includes allegations of parental alienation, as well as an alleged attempt to condition Casoojee’s access to his children on a R300 000 payment. The matter has since been referred to the LPC’s Disciplinary Committee.

Civil society organisations such as Fathers for Equality and Right to Justice have stepped in to support Casoojee’s call for intervention. They argue that his case is not an isolated one, but part of a larger problem where fathers are stripped of rights due to unchecked legal practices.

“Too many fathers are being erased from their children’s lives not because they are unfit, but because the system enables legal manipulation,” Casoojee said. “This is not just about me. It is about the thousands of fathers who quietly suffer while their children grow up believing their dads abandoned them.”

Attorney Kaamilah Paulse, through her law firm Herold Gie Attorneys, has denied any wrongdoing. The firm has stated it intends to challenge the tribunal’s findings and maintains that Paulse acted lawfully and ethically throughout.

Still, Casoojee remains determined. “I want my children to know I never walked away. I was kept away,” he said. “Minister Kubayi, please help fathers like me reclaim our rightful place in our children’s lives.”