LYDENBURG – The proposed rationalisation of the area of jurisdiction of the Lydenburg Magisterial District is nearing completion.
Magistrate Mr Recardo Cloete said on instruction of the regional coordinating committee (RCC) of Mpumalanga, towards the end of 2012, they had a meeting with communities on the demarcation issue.
“Various stakeholders have assisted us in dealing with the situation which does not only affect the department of justice, but also the communities we serve.”
Cloete says Mpumalanga and Limpopo are now nearing the finalisation of the rationalisation-demarcation process.
“Two publications were published in the Government Gazette during March 2015 namely the withdrawal of the old magisterial districts and the establishment of the new ones. The existing ones will be withdrawn and reproclamation of the new districts will follow.”
The following areas of jurisdiction in the Lydenburg magisterial areas are rationalised: For Thaba Chweu Municipality the current magisterial districts are Mashishing and Pilgrim’s Rest.
The proposed magisterial district will now be Thaba Chweu. The seats of magistracy will be Mashishing with Maartenshoop as Periodic Court with subdistrict Sabie. The seat of this subdistrict will be Sabie with Pilgrim’s Rest as Periodic Court.
For Graskop, the seat of the subdistrict will be Graskop with Dientjie as Periodic Court. The Greater Tubatse Municipality’s (GTM) current magisterial districts include Praktiseer and Mashishing. The new proposed magisterial district will now be Tubatse with the seat of magistracy Burgersfort and Praktiseer.
Burgersfort was a Periodic Court of Lydenburg and will now become a seat of magistracy of Tubatse. The same goes for Ohrigstad. Where this town was a Periodic Court of Lydenburg it will now become a Periodic Court of Burgersfort and Praktiseer.
He says the practical issues include that from October 1 summonses and charge sheets will carry the name of the new magisterial districts. “Members of affected communities must scrutinise their summonses. If the date of the appearance is on or after October 1, the name of the court will be depicted on that summons and it might be a different venue from what it used to be in the past.”
On the following dates and venues a magistrate will address and consult with members of the affected communities regarding the process:
On April 15 at 10:00 at the Lydenburg Magistrate’s Court at court B, on April 13 at 10:00 at the Burgersfort Magistrate’s Court also at court B, on April 14 at 14:00 at the Ohrigstad Magistrate’s Court and on April 14 at 10:00 at the Maartenshoop Police Station.
Cloete says all affected communities are invited to attend these sessions as their inputs will be valued.
Any representations or questions with regard to this consultation process must reach the magistrate at Private Bag X1085, Lydenburg, 1120, or fax 013-235-3411 or email recloete@justice.gov.za no later than April 25.
