JOHANNESBURG – Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has urged public works Minister Patricia de Lille to ensure that her department consulted the judiciary before constructing new courts to make sure they were effective.
De Lille announced at a briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday that more than R260 million has been allocated to repair and maintain court buildings across the country.
The chief justice has lamented the poor state of court buildings, saying they hamper the proper administration of justice.
The chief justice said even new court buildings presented significant challenges related to the filing and storage of documents because they were poorly designed.
“New buildings that are to be erected, please make sure that the judiciary at all levels is properly consulted. We’ve got problems of bundles and bundles of documents; where was the planning? Why can’t we plan 10 years ahead of time, so that we accommodate the needs of now and the needs of the future.”
Mogoeng has suggested to Minister De Lille that the department move away from leasing buildings to instead owning them.
De Lille said she planned to start the repair and maintenance aspect of her plan within weeks.
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