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Earlier in his career, Mandela was part of a protest campaign against unjust laws in SA, and for this activity was convicted of furthering the aims of communism.
As a result of this conviction The Transvaal Law Society applied to have Mandela’s name struck of the roll of attorneys. The matter was heard in the Supreme Court and Mandela was defended by the chairman of the Johannesburg Bar, Walter Pollak. The court refused to entertain the application and found that, although his actions could be regarded in a serious light, he was motivated to be of service to his fellow non-whites. The court held that this was not sufficient reason for striking his name off the roll'. According to The Incorporated Law Society of the Transvaal v Mandela 1954 (3) SA 102 (T) , the court also found that he would only be struck of if what he had done that that he was unworthy to remain in the ranks of an honourable profession. "This contention proceeds, again, on the incorrect assumption that it is the court’s function to punish an attorney who has been convicted of an offence’. The application was dismissed.
Even the apartheid courts of SA acted more fairly than the SRA, including taking Mandela's motive into account; and of course Mark has not been convicted of any offence, unlike Mandela.