The lack of information and statistics regarding the operating performance of courts in South Africa, highlighted during a presentation by the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ), did not sit well with some Members of Parliament (MPs) on the Justice and Correctional Services Committee.
Some MPs indicated that during a presentation yesterday by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, it was assured that this information should be forthcoming from the presentation by the OCJ. The OCJ, however, indicated that the performance of courts does not fall within its mandate.
Committee member, Ms Glynnis Breytenbach, said it seemed more like a case of passing the buck. She said no one is taking responsibility for this indicator. Acting Committee Chairperson, Ms Madipoane Mothapo, agreed and said clarity should be provided to the Committee on this matter.
Another Committee member, Mr Sam Matiase, said he is not sure what the OCJ came to present on as the targets mentioned in its presentation are not clear.
The Committee heard that out of the 14 quarterly targets set by the OCJ, only one target was not achieved, which translates into a 93% achievement rate. This fell under Programme 2: Superior Court Services. The 1% non-achievement refers specifically to the number of training workshops on case management conducted for registrars, statisticians and registrars’ clerks.
The Committee was assured that despite the challenges that the department was faced with during the first quarter, various control measures have been put in place to ensure effective administrative support to the Judiciary, said Secretary-General in the OCJ, Ms Memme Sejosengwe. She reported that the National Court Administration Unit, Chief Registrars will be conducting training in their respective divisions to rectify the situation.
Rajaa Azzakani
23 August 2017
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