Judges Matter hopeful for a solution amid looming magistrates strike
The Judicial Officers Association of South Africa, which represents 800 magistrates said it's considering embarking on industrial action.
The Johannesburg Magistrates Court. Picture: Thabiso Goba/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - Judicial watchdog, Judges Matter, says it's hopeful that a lasting solution can be found to the issues at the heart of what could be a looming magistrates’ strike.
The Judicial Officers Association of South Africa, which represents 800 magistrates said it's considering embarking on industrial action.
This is over issues around magistrates' remuneration and delays in conducting a “major review” thereof.
The association’s president, Neelan Karikan: "The magistrates’ position is quite dire as it stands because you must understand currently the magistrates are so financially restrained that potentially, some of my colleagues might have to go under debt review and they could even be potentially sequestrated.
"But why should that be? Because for years on end what is happening is their salaries have been diminished incrementally."
Judges Matter’s Mbekezeli Benjamin said they’re concerned about the impact a strike could have on millions of South Africans.
He said, though, their own research shows magistrates’ working conditions have deteriorated, especially on the back of COVID-19, and that concerns around salaries have been long-standing.
"But from our research report, they seem to still feature as a key source of stress among magistrates. We therefore hope that both Parliament, the Ministry of Justice and The Presidency can work together with magistrates to find a lasting solution to this problem."