The recent public service strike almost brought the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court to a standstill after workers joined the 21 day long strike.
Stenographers and court interpreters participated in the strike, which meant that 560 court cases from both the district and regional courts were postponed during the
strike said Koch Froneman, the checking officer of the Criminal Section at the magistrate’s court.
The recent public service strike almost brought the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court to a standstill after workers joined the 21 day long strike.
Stenographers and court interpreters participated in the strike, which meant that 560 court cases from both the district and regional courts were postponed during the
strike said Koch Froneman, the checking officer of the Criminal Section at the magistrate’s court.
Froneman said some cases were also postponed for further investigation, but he could not give an exact
number. John Porter, head attorney at Nolte Smit Attorneys said striking court interpreters should have
been put behind bars.
“I thought the Department of Justice and the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] were supposed to be essential services. “How can court interpreters just go on strike and hold the entire administration of justice to ransom?”
He also said that people are “languishing in custody” waiting for bail applications and trial finalisations, but justice is being delayed and the accused still have a right to speedy trials.
“If I was a magistrate I would have sent my court orderly to fetch my interpreter from the picket line. If they refused to interpret, I would have sent them to the cells until the rising of the court for contempt. That is probably why I am not a magistrate,” he added.
Porter said due to cases not being finalised during the strike, the court rolls have been pushed out to twice the length of the strike as new cases are added to the roll.
“Crime doesn’t stop happening just because people go on strike. In some courts now we are only able to secure trial dates well into 2011,” he said Lengthy delays and excessive postponements have lead to complainants becoming frustrated with the system and losing interest as their cases drag on and on without being finalised.
“Magistrates, prosecutors and witnesses pass away or move elsewhere further frustrating the system. There are also numerous unfilled posts in the ranks of magistrates and prosecutors that are causing trials not to proceed. As time passes witnesses’ recollection of events becomes faded, leading to more accused people being acquitted.”
The effects of the strike were also felt in places like Alicedale, Keiskammahoek, Paterson, Peddie and Balfour where there aren’t any practising attorneys and people have to travel long distances only for the trials not to proceed for administrative reasons.
