The impact of deteriorating infrastructure has led the justice department to initiate projects for backup power and water.
Justice and constitutional development minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said in a written reply to a parliamentary question there were significant challenges affecting court operations due to electricity load-shedding, water outages, system failures and infrastructure issues.
“These disruptions have adversely affected the adjudication of cases, occasionally forcing courts to close,” she acknowledged, while saying the department is implementing several measures to ensure the continuity of court operations.
“The department has formally requested Eskom to exempt courts from load-shedding schedules, recognising their essential role in the justice system. A response from Eskom is awaited,” Kubayi said.
A project has also been registered with the department of public works and infrastructure (DPWI) for the installation of generators.
A total of 460 projects have been registered for backup power supply.
Currently, 153 courts are fully functional during load-shedding, 24 are under construction, and 235 are undergoing site clearance for generator installation or upgrades.
For the long-term, the department is exploring solar power and inverters to enhance energy security.
To address water outages, the department has initiated projects to install tanks, boreholes and pumps at various courts.
Out of 176 registered projects, 43 have been completed and eight are under construction. The remainder are in the planning phase.
On dilapidated buildings, the department said it is upgrading some court facilities in collaboration with DPWI.
In the last five years, six courts were prioritised for major renovations. Under the repair and renovate programme, 12 courts have undergone substantial refurbishment.
**TimesLIVE**