Wynberg Court Shooting Prompts Immediate Security Review
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining courts as spaces for justice rather than crime after a fatal shooting at Wynberg Magistrates Court, reports EWN. Department Director-General Advocate Doc Mashabane visited the court to assess security and ordered immediate upgrades. Department spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi said that Mashabane met with stakeholders, including the National Prosecuting Authority, SAPS, and Legal Aid SA, to review security measures and identify necessary improvements. She said that urgent steps were taken, including installing security scanners, tightening access control, and enhancing vetting of court officials.
'Orania Lite' Faces Financial Crisis After Rate Hike
The whites-only Afrikaner settlement of Kleinfontein faced a threat to its survival after the Tshwane Municipality published a new valuation roll, increasing its property value from R21 million to R290 million, reports EWN. The spike would raise its monthly rates from R50,000 to around R2 million, which Kleinfontein's spokesperson, Dannie De Beer, called an attempt to "taxed them to death." The settlement, often dubbed "Orania lite," had already been declared illegal by the Gauteng High Court in 2023 for non-compliance with municipal zoning laws.
Interpreter Absence Delays Sensitive Case
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi expressed serious concern and condemned the alleged misconduct of a court interpreter at Maluti Magistrates' Court, which led to the postponement of a sensitive bail hearing involving a seven-year-old child, reports IOL. The interpreter failed to return after lunch, reportedly due to alcohol abuse, and misled officials about his absence. Kubayi labelled the incident as unacceptable and damaging, especially in matters involving vulnerable individuals, and called for urgent investigation and accountability. The department has since begun arrangements to appoint a qualified interpreter to ensure the hearing resumes on April 15 without further delays.
