Do you speak Uganda?
"Do you also speak Uganda?" the magistrate asked. "Yes, your highness," he replied.
Foreigners frequent the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court’s dock on a regular basis. Apart from being accused of contravening the Immigration Act, they often stand accused of theft and drug dealing. Unfortunately, many of the accused in poaching cases which this journalist reports on, are illegal immigrants.
Our constitution promises equality, the principle which stretches beyond all borders. In other words, when an accused is unable to speak a South African language he has a right to have the proceedings translated into a language he can understand. This principle was referred to during three amusing scenarios in the district courtroom last Monday.
The magistrate, Ms Annemarie van der Merwe, a well-respected presiding officer, headed the proceedings. The first accused to require translation was Mr Joseph Ocimbi, who stood accused of contravening the Immigration Act. “What language do you speak, sir?” Van der Merwe asked. “I speak Uganda.” It was ordered that a translator be arranged to assist the accused in the continuation of legal proceedings.
Ocimbi’s case was followed by that of Mr Kohosi Sinani, who was charged with the same offence. “Mr Sinane, are you also Uganda speaking?” Van der Merwe asked. “Yes, Your Highness.” Siane and Ocimbi’s cases had been postponed in order for their mother tongue to be discerned and an interpreter arranged.
Her Highness continued to call Mr Raman Sauid Ramadan from Tanzania, who had been arrested for the possession of drugs. His trial was postponed to March 10 to provide for an interpreter.
This was not the end of the court’s international relations for the day, as Ramadan’s case had been followed by that of alleged kidnappers Messrs Umar Shazad, Hammad Raza, Khothatso Kgaphola, Nthanthla Magagula and Petros Malapane.
Two of the five accused, Shazad and Raza, were Pakistanis and an Urdu translator had to be arranged before their trial could continue yesterday.
