NPA slams claim that alleges failure to ensure safety from Covid-19

THE National Prosecuting Authority has denied a claim that they are not ensuring the safety of all staff and the public at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the POST last week, a prosecutor at the courthouse claimed that although her job was deemed an essential service, she feared that working during the national lockdown would place her in danger of contracting the virus.

The prosecutor said she wanted management to ensure everyone at court was adhering to the protective and security measures mandated by the government.

She claimed the courthouse remained busy but only a few people wore masks and gloves.

She further claimed her colleagues bought their own masks and gloves and were given a bottle of hand sanitiser, while the security officers were issued with gloves.

The prosecutor said she was also in contact with a woman and child who appeared sick, and that there was no toilet paper and soap in the lavatories, as there was allegedly no budget.

She said the security did not have infra-red thermometers to check on those entering the premises and that no measures were taken to ensure their safety. The prosecutor said she escalated her concerns to management.

At the time of publication, the POST had not sought comment from the NPA and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

Last week, the NPA said a roster was created for personnel on duty at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court.

They said they were operating with minimum staff, who are released as soon as they completed their daily duties and that in the interest of the safety of staff at this office, a senior prosecutor and the acting court manager cancelled her leave to remain on duty every day until the close of business.

The NPA said sanitisers, gloves and masks were allocated to the staff, and all toilets have toilet rolls and soap.

“The building has been sanitised and continues to be done on a daily basis. All persons entering the two court buildings are sanitised.

“The entrance to the two court buildings at Verulam is strictly monitored and the applicable registers, for any person entering the court, are in place.

“The social distancing of one metre is constantly monitored and complied with by security personnel at court, and overseen by the presiding officer in each courtroom.”

The NPA said executive committee meetings were convened daily during the lockdown period.

“We have been informed by the acting court manager that the temperature thermometers are still awaited.”

Pat Moodley, the regional head for the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, in KZN, said: “We are currently engaged, as South African public servants, in trying to manage a situation that we could never have imagined possible a few weeks ago.

“Our courts are a pillar of our Constitutional democracy and we need to ensure they remain accessible to the public for all essential services, which include children’s court applications and domestic violence applications. This, in the face of a lack of availability of PPEs (personal protective equipment), transport for our staff and ensuring that our courts are safe and sanitised.”

The POST, which prides itself for getting all the relevant sides of a story, apologises for not garnering comments from the relevant authorities on the allegations, at the time of going to print. We hereby retract the story and commend the essential service staff for their contributions to ensuring public safety during the national lockdown.