Parliament, Monday, 24 March 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development today visited the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and decried the six-year delay in renovations that has translated into denying the people access to justice.
Committee Chairperson, Mr Xola Nqola, said: “It is concerning what we heard that some of the matters must now be heard in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court which is 30 km away forcing the people to travel a long distance to get access to justice. It is totally unacceptable.”
The committee is currently on a week-long oversight programme in KZN. The committee is going to visit the provincial office of the Public Protector as well as South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Mr Nqola said the committee received numerous complaints about the SAHRC in the province.
The committee invited the Commissioner to respond to the complaints that included allegations of toxicity of the environment at the SAHRC office in the province. The committee resolved to have a meeting with the staff of the Commission so that it could get a better understanding of the complaints.
At the start of the inspection in loco at the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court, the committee came across three unused mobile offices on the periphery of the court precinct. Two of the mobile offices were full of rubbish and a third is used to store old files that according to the committee relate to estate matters although that was not confirmed by the officials.
At the entrance of the court building, the committee noted that the scanning machine to check bags was not working. Mr Nqola said that it is a safety hazard and that the people can come in the court with dangerous objects without detection.
During the visit the committee heard that only one regional court operates at the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court due to the renovations and the two other regional courts had to move matters to Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court. The court building has 62 offices. The renovation plan which is still taking place was started in 2016 was meant to be completed in 2019. The committee heard that accused people and witnesses must take two taxis to reach Chatsworth Magistrate’s court.
The committee also expressed its dissatisfaction over the sharing of passages by victims and the alleged perpetrators. “We heard how a court hearing had to be postponed last week because the victim met the accused in the passage. It is totally unacceptable. She was highly distraught that she had to use the same door as the accused. This is a secondary trauma for the victim as she could not even testify, and the case had to be postponed,” said Mr Nqola.
He said the committee took serious exception on the delay which according to the briefing the committee received is due to the lack of funding from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure DPWI. Two of the contractors that were present during the visit said they are owed R3 million and R1.1 million respectively.
Notwithstanding the claim of not to having funds to complete the renovations, the DPWI told the committee that it has more than R59 million from its capital work with less than a week remaining in this financial year to finish that money. In response to that Mr Nqola said “so, our people are denied access to courts and justice, but you still have funds that you did not spend. How is it possible that these funds could not be used for this court project.”
The committee also visited the Umlazi Thuthuzela Care Centre which the committee said is a best practice model. Mr Nqola said: “Everything that must be in place for the centre to work and help victims is in place. We note that forensic nurses are required at the centre and that officials want to make a difference in the lives of survivors.”
The oversight visit continues tomorrow to the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court and the Master’s Office.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MR XOLA NQOLA.
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