Controversy as Mpumalanga court president defies ruling on Skukuza cases
Mpumalanga’s regional court president faces backlash over an attempt to move rhino poaching cases from Skukuza to Hazyview, defying a judge president’s directive.
Naomi Engelbrecht, the regional court president (RCP) of Mpumalanga, is facing significant backlash for her controversial decision to transfer criminal cases, mostly involving rhino poaching, from the Skukuza court to Hazyview.
Mpumalanga News reports a letter dated March 6, from Judge Segopotje Sheila Mphahlele, the judge president of Mpumalanga, firmly stated that no cases would be moved from Skukuza to Hazyview.
This instruction followed an emergency meeting on March 5, between Engelbrecht, Mphahlele, and the NPA. A directive from the judge president reinforcing this decision was issued the next day.
Engelbrecht’s move to transfer cases — communicated to regional Magistrate Mbongeni Ngobeni two weeks prior —sparked widespread confusion. At the time, regional court prosecutor Abednigo Mgiba, along with suspects, witnesses, and legal teams, gathered in Skukuza, while Ngobeni waited in Hazyview under the RCP’s orders.
When Ngobeni instructed everyone to relocate to Hazyview, resistance followed. Suspects out on bail, legal teams, and even the police refused to comply. It was ultimately agreed that all cases would be postponed in absentia until March 13.
Engelbrecht was further instructed by the judge president to draft a revised programme for court sittings, but at the time of publication, regional court magistrates and prosecutors had not yet received the new schedule.
This is not Engelbrecht’s first controversial action. In 2019/20, she clashed with former Judge President Francis Legodi over a similar decision to relocate the Skukuza Regional Court to Mhala. Engelbrecht’s refusal to reverse her decision led Legodi to present the matter before a panel of high court judges.
The panel ruled that Engelbrecht’s decision was illegal and beyond her authority. Her application to appeal was denied by both the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein and the Constitutional Court, with both courts stating the appeal lacked merit.
For now, all cases have been transferred back to Skukuza.
Engelbrecht has not responded to queries from Mpumalanga News.
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
Read original story on www.citizen.co.za
