Rédaction Africa Links 24 with GroundUp Staff
Published on 2024-04-09 10:51:42
In a recent inquiry, major political parties were asked about the issue of court judgments backlog. The ANC, DA, EFF, IFP, FF Plus, ActionSA, PA, MK Party, and Rise Mzansi were approached on 13 March, and follow-up questions were sent to those who did not initially respond.
The responses provided by these parties were lightly edited for grammar and typos. Notably, the ANC and EFF did not provide any response to the question raised. The DA proposed measures such as introducing an electronic document management system and supporting municipal courts at the local government level to address the backlog.
The IFP emphasized the importance of a strong National Prosecuting Authority and the development of specialized courts to handle various types of cases to alleviate the backlog. The FF Plus highlighted the need for sufficient budget allocation to the judiciary and the importance of respecting the separation of powers.
On the other hand, ActionSA committed to expanding court capacity by constructing and acquiring more court facilities. They also plan to establish specialized courts to deal with specific crime categories and modernize court proceedings using technological solutions.
The PA suggested starting with fixing the police system to lower crime rates, allowing for a decrease in the courts’ workload. They also proposed a hybrid model for processing cases online and offline and stricter measures against delaying tactics in court cases.
Rise Mzansi called for an integrated IT system for the judiciary and SAPS to track cases efficiently. They also recommended the establishment of specialized courts for priority crimes and addressing delaying tactics used by defendants to prolong cases. In the long term, they advocated for more courts, prosecutors, and capable magistrates in South Africa.
Overall, the major political parties presented various strategies to tackle the backlog of court judgments. From technological solutions to increased resource allocation and specialized court systems, each party offered their unique approach to addressing this pressing issue.
This information was first published by GroundUp, and it sheds light on the diverse perspectives and proposed solutions from different political parties regarding the challenges faced by the judiciary in handling court judgments backlog.
Read the original article on Daily Maverick
