The lawyer representing hundreds of homeowners in a R60bn class action against the banks has blamed ‘work pressure’ and being ‘overwhelmed’ for failing to renew his Fidelity Fund Certificate, reports the Cape Times.

Douglas Shaw, who has been driving the case for the past six years against the country's major banks, was given until yesterday to produce the certificate to the court, which he failed to do.

He told the court that due to work pressure and being ‘overwhelmed’, he simply did not get around to renewing it this year.

Shaw, however, assured the court that he is on the brink of receiving it and that only a few documents required by the LPC were still outstanding.

But Judge Leonie Windell was adamant that without it, he would be off this case.

In postponing the matter to the end of March, the judge said she will bring this matter to the attention of the LPC.

She wants the legal body to investigate the issues surrounding Shaw and to issue the court with a report before the matter resumes on 26 March.

Full Cape Times report