SA's courts to get R9bn overhaul
Bathandwa Mbola
30 May 2008
The Department of Justice has allocated R9.7-billion to improve access and develop a more efficient justice system, through building new court infrastructure and upgrading to new technologies like digital court recording systems.
Delivering her budget vote in Parliament in Cape Town this week, Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla said the department had delivered 2 430 digital court recording systems to courts, replacing the outdated analogue recording machines.
"To protect court records the department has established a central archive record storage for the high courts to provide a back-up for valuable court information," she said, adding that the system would be extended to all regional courts during the current financial year.
The department is also continuing with Operation Isondlo, which aims to create a greater awareness about child maintenance, while courts will gradually be linked to the Justice Deposit Accounts System, which will be used for depositing maintenance money.
"The increase in efficiency levels has enabled the department to reduce queues in the courts," Mabandla said.
Spatial distribution
Last year the department emphasised the need to review the spatial distribution of courts as part of removing the remains of the apartheid court system, and Mabandla said the process of correcting the situation had gained momentum.
She said that in the last few months, the department had focused on creating the necessary infrastructure and human resource capacity in 23 of the 90 branch courts, which would in the current financial year, become re-designated as self standing courts.
By designating branch courts as main courts, Mabandla said the communities in the rural and townships would enjoy equal access to justice as their counterparts in the towns and suburbs, and thereby have their dignity and self worth restored.
Legal Aid Board
Regarding the Legal Aid Board, which assists indigent persons with legal representation, there has been an increase in the new cases, with the board assisting 47 908 children during the financial year ended 31 March 2008.
This included 42 087 children involved in criminal matters and 5821 children in civil matters, said Mabandla, adding that R98-million had been channelled toward a special project aimed at reducing the case backlogs.
"The case backlog as on 31 March 2008 stood at 13% in the high courts, 15% in the district courts and 34% in the regional courts," she said. "This draws on the skills of retired magistrates and prosecutors who are provided to priority court sites where there are a high number of outstanding cases."
President Thabo Mbeki first announced plans to create a new, modernised, efficient and transformed justice system during his State of the Nation address in February, and had since appointed the Deputy Justice Minister, Advocate Johnny de Lange, to coordinate the review of the criminal justice system in order to strengthen its ability to respond to the imperatives of crime fighting.
De Lange will review principles of the country's laws and processes that may require revision and possibly change, to ensure that the system responds to the challenges of a changing society.
Source: BuaNews
