Judiciary lists load shedding, budget cuts and a shortage of courtrooms as the main challenges

JOHANNESBURG - Judicial heads have listed load shedding, budget cuts and a shortage of courtrooms as the main issues affecting the sector.

On Friday, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo presented the annual judiciary report for the 2022/2023 financial year.

The report shows the country’s courts achieved 11 out of its 13 performance indicators during the financial year in review.

The two performance targets that were not met by the judiciary were the finalising of ConCourt cases and reducing the backlog of criminal cases.

With crime being a major issue in the country, the heads of the judiciary have acknowledged that more needs to be done in finalising criminal matters.

Speaking during a media briefing on Friday, Zondo said that budget cuts affected the courts' performances.

“And these budget cuts and austerity measures were taken unilaterally. Nobody from the executive ever spoke to me as the chief justice to say we are contemplating budget cuts and austerity measures, let's have a meeting about what can be done."

Zondo said that the last time the judiciary was consulted on budget cuts was during the Jacob Zuma administration.