Today the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development announced the establishment of a new Small Claims Court for the Mutale magisterial district. This milestone is part of the department’s programme to ensure that there is a Small Claims Court in every magisterial district countrywide. Through the establishment of these courts in these areas the department will expand access to justice for all.
Small Claims Courts deal with certain civil matters of up to R12 000 00. These Courts are based on speed, simplicity and cost effectiveness and were created to eliminate time-consuming adversarial procedures before and during the trial. No legal representatives are required or allowed to appear on behalf of the litigants in these Courts.
Presiding Officers in the Small Claims Courts, commonly known as Commissioners, volunteer their services without any remuneration. Commissioners are drawn from a pool of professionals such as attorneys, advocates and academics with experience in dealing with civil matters.
To preside over claims brought before the Mutale Small Claims Court, the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development has appointed Adv David Ramagalela as a Commissioner. He was admitted as an advocate during February 2007 and has been practicing as such since then. Before that, he was a senior legal counsel for De Beers Consolidated Mines.
Further information regarding the use of the Small Claims Court in this area may be obtained from the Court Manager, Mr Tinyiko Hlungwani, at the Mutale Magistrate’s Court, next to the Mutale Police Station, Mutale, Tel: 015 967 0045.
Enquiries:
Office of the Deputy Minister
Tel: 012 315 1025/1418
