Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has issued a stern warning to senior departmental managers, promising to review performance contracts and hold officials accountable for the dire state of the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court in Gqeberha. This comes after an oversight visit to the court on Thursday, prompted by the recent murder of a local prosecutor.
The visit was a direct response to a request from prosecutors following the death of their colleague, Tracy Brown, who was gunned down outside her home last month. Minister Kubayi stated that the aim was to assess the working conditions and safety concerns of court officials firsthand.
“What I found here are huge challenges,” the Minister stated bluntly to reporters outside the court. “Starting from infrastructure [to] issues of security… it is very clear that there are things that you’ll categorize as basic that should be done.”
Minister Kubayi highlighted critical security flaws, noting that the offices of both magistrates and prosecutors are “easily accessible by the public,” a situation she declared unacceptable. She revealed encountering issues as fundamental as a magistrate not having a working laptop, which she described as a failure of management.
“I cannot arrive at a court and solve a problem of a magistrate not having a laptop. That’s unacceptable for me,” she said. “Those that need to be dismissed will be dismissed.”
The Minister announced an urgent meeting with all senior national and provincial justice officials scheduled for Friday in Pretoria, where these issues will be tabled. She has demanded immediate action plans and timeframes for rectifying the problems identified in New Brighton.
A key security assessment for the court has already been conducted but not yet implemented. Minister Kubayi has demanded a report by the end of Thursday detailing the planned interventions.
Focus on Prosecutor Safety Following Tragedies
The Minister’s visit and subsequent strong remarks are set against a backdrop of escalating violence against justice officials in the Eastern Cape. The killing of Prosecutor Tracy Brown and an attempted hit on another prosecutor in the nearby town of Kariega have raised alarm bells.
In response, Minister Kubayi outlined a new, proactive strategy to protect prosecutors and magistrates. This includes having the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) identify high-profile and high-risk cases upfront to assess threats to the officials working on them.
“We said we’ll want to be able to upfront identify where there are risks and protect so that we don’t become reactive,” she explained. The department is also developing emergency protocols for magistrates and prosecutors to ensure a quicker response to threats.
A long-term solution for the New Brighton court, the Minister suggested, is acquiring adjacent land to allow for a much-needed expansion and a redesign that prioritizes security.
The Minister’s visit underscores a renewed national focus on the safety of court officials, a critical issue for the administration of justice in South Africa.