music_note
Judicial watchdog calls for more judges amid case backlog concerns
Judicial transparency group, Judges Matter, is urging the justice and finance ministers to urgently assist the courts by appointing temporary acting judges who can help with the case backlogs at the Gauteng High Court.
Their call comes as one of the busiest courts in the country, the high court in Johannesburg, grapples with massive backlog. As a result, the court is currently scheduling civil trials for the first term of 2029.
The backlog adds more strain to South Africa’s judicial system which is also contending with the lack of translators and defective recording devices, among others.
Judges Matter says the delays will severely affect victims of crime and families for who are locked in maintenance battles, among others.
In June this year, Gauteng Deputy Judge President, Roland Sutherland, revealed that he would need an additional 20 judges within his division to cope with the current workload.
As it stands, the court can only allocate between two and six judges per week.
It is estimated that more than 180 000 cases are waiting to be heard in the country’s courts, with case hearing dates in some provinces being set down for 2027.
Judges Matter says it has submitted the Moseneke Committee’s report on the judicial establishment on issues such as the need for the judges in courts to be increased.
“Judges Matter’s submission draws attention to the impact of the rationalisation process on increasing the number of judges needed; the need for comprehensive data on caseloads and judge hours; a uniform policy on acting judges; and, most significantly, the current crisis in the courts and the need for urgent interim measures,” the rights group adds.
Trial dates at the Gauteng High Court are now being issued for the first term of 2029! Our latest submission to the Moseneke Committee calls for immediate action to address this crisis. Read more here: https://t.co/LtjON8C0df #JudicialReform
— Judges Matter (@WhyJudgesMatter) August 1, 2024
Speaking to YNews, the Research and Advocacy Officer at Judges Matter, Mbekezeli Benjamin, says this crisis must be urgently addressed.
In a recent interview, Gauteng Judge, President Dunstan Mlambo, defended the courts, saying the backlog only affects Road Accident Fund cases.
Mlambo says the amount of civil trials Gauteng is faced with surpasses the other provinces.
Current show
Upcoming shows
Latest posts
