With effect from Tuesday, 11 August 2009, 15 branch courts across the country now enjoy the status of being full service courts. This is consistent with government's efforts to prioritise service delivery by bringing facilities and services to the areas where people reside.
Branch courts were originally set up in townships and rural areas as an extension of courts in the main towns and/or cities. Previously, these courts offered limited services relating mainly to criminal matters.
People in those communities had no access to justice services offered by the main courts located in the historically urban and/or developed areas. As a consequence of this, people had to travel to the main courts to access services such as child maintenance, protection orders, deceased estates, adoption orders, or legal remedies to any civil disputes. These services are now available at the re-designated courts which now enjoy exclusive jurisdiction.
This is the first phase of the roll out project that affects seven provinces at this stage. In light of these latest developments, out of 90 branch courts, 15 will now be converted into full service courts. This brings the number of branch courts still to be re-designated to 75.
Every effort will be made to ensure that all South Africans enjoy equal access to justice without necessarily being dictated to by the geographical areas where they reside. The 15 branch courts being converted in this current phase are located in seven of the nine provinces: one in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga; three in Gauteng, six in Northern Cape, and two in the Western Cape.
An added benefit of the conversion of these courts will be the alleviation of case load among other things in the main courts, resulting in improved delivery of services. The extension of services to the current Branch Courts will bring great relief to affected communities, enhancing their access to justice, consistent with the provisions of our Constitution.
The Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe signed a notice which was published in Government Gazette No 32433 notice No 776 on 24 July 2009 whose effect is to designate these courts as competent to adjudicate in criminal cases, civil disputes, family law or maintenance matters which are registered or reported from today.
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Tlali Tlali
Ministerial spokesperson
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Issued by: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
12 August 2009
