Buildings not fit for courts’ use

A RECENT oversight visit to the magistrate’s courts in Humansdorp revealed concerning and unsafe working conditions for the men and women who are supposed to ensure that citizens who violate the law are adequately punished.

The conditions that these professionals are expected to work under is so outdated that they cannot be expected to perform their work effectively.

During my visit I witnessed a facility that was too small, not sufficiently equipped and unsafe for the staff.

The facility serves about 100 000 citizens, but is way too small.

There is a holding cell that is designed to accommodate 34 people, but on some days up to 60 people are squeezed into the cell with one dysfunctional toilet.

The holding cell is also a distance from the actual courtroom, and there is no security between the cell and courtroom.

To give an indication of how inadequate the facility is, I was told that some cases had been set down to be heard only next year.

In cases where children are to testify, I was told that the child had to sit in front of a camera in a room where other consultations were in progress.

Surely this can’t be right and must be a violation of the child’s rights.

This is totally unacceptable and must be rectified immediately.

A child cannot be expected to give evidence in a room that is accessible to other individuals at the same time.

There is also a section that deals with family law.

This department is and has been housed in a temporary structure for the past 10 years.

This structure is separate from the main building, and is small and cannot seat all the family violence complainants at the same time.

So the complainants have to wait outside, and obviously get wet when it rains and get cold in winter and when the wind blows.

That’s how this government cares about its people.

Magistrates have to walk through and among the public to enter the courts to preside over criminal cases.

There is also a regional court on the grounds.

The regional court magistrate presides over more serious crimes.

This cannot be an ideal environment where magistrates are expected to walk among the very people that they might sentence for long jail terms.

On the day of my visit there was no security at the door, only two portable metal detectors on a table.

Plans to extend the courts have been in place since way back in 2006, but up until now there is no progress.

It’s an indictment of our government that after all these years a safe and adequate court cannot be provided for our committed professional magistracy.

To do their work properly these professionals need to be provided with the tools and safety to perform their tasks.