Pomp, ceremony as High Court opens

The official opening of the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane on Tuesday marked a milestone in the history of the city that will spark development such as judicial offices, a boulevard with coffee shops and other amenities associated with the court.
Dignitaries of the judi­­ciary, government, parastatals, agencies and invited guests gathered in a tent in Bodenstein Street outside the new High Court building on Tuesday to witness this auspicious occasion.
Limpopo Judge President Ephraim Makgoba welcomed guests and said the Limpopo High Court was the first new division of the High Court established during the new political dispensation. “The facilities are here and at your services,” Makgoba said.
Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Michael Masutha, delivered the keynote address and said that the people of Limpopo have for decades needed to travel to Gauteng to access justice and all high court services.
“Limpopo became the eighth province to have a high court seat and this is an important development. It is a fulfilment of our commitment to access to justice for all. It is also significant that we are officially opening the court during the 16 days of No Violence Against Women and Children,” Masutha said.
According to Masutha, the Limpopo High Court has been functional since start of business in January this year. “On the date of its commencement of operations this court took over 51 criminal trials and 43 appeals files from Gauteng Division. Six cases have been placed on the roll from the date the court commenced functioning and the first murder trial was finalised on 28 January 2016. Since then a total of 116 criminal trials, 73 appeals and 16 reviews have been finalised. Similarly there has been some positive outcomes in the civil roll where 1 947 cases out of a total of 2 988 registered cases have been disposed of and this bears testimony of a court hard at work in dispensing justice,” Masutha informed.
“Access to justice is a fundamental democratic right underlying other human rights entrenched in the Bill of Rights. These rights will be meaningless without enforcement mechanisms and we must ensure that poverty and inequality no longer perpetuate unequal access to justice. Let me reiterate that we will spare no effort in ensuring that all people in this country enjoy equal access to justice,” Masutha concluded.
Mogoeng Mogoeng, Chief Justice of South Africa also addressed guests and said that although it is important to provide buildings, it is equally important to capacitate operations so that it can operate functionally. “Clients should receive prompt and efficient services, as justice delayed is justice denied. Our commitment to deliver quality service is unwavering and we will continue to strive towards improvement of our capabilities to do more with the limited resources that we face, Mogoeng assured.
After the event, messages of congratulation were communicated in media releases by Thembi Nkadimeng, Polokwane Executive Mayor and Jacques Smalle, Democratic Alliance Provincial Leader. Nkadimeng announced that Bodenstein Street up to Biccard Street will be converted into a boulevard in order to accommodate business growth like restaurants and coffee shops that are associated with the high court.
“This will ensure that the street is user friendly for pedestrians and provide easy access and that there is ample space for business to grow. We are expecting that within the next 36 months the area will have a much better look and feel from what you see now,” Nkadimeng said.

Story: BARRY VILJOEN
>>barryv.observer@gmail.com

Photos: Barry viljoen and Herbert Rachuene.

Featured photo: Michael Masutha, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and Ephraim Makgoba, Limpopo Judge President at the official opening of the Limpopo High Court.