National
Judiciary transfer kicks in today─── SABRINA DEAN 07:55 Wed, 01 Oct 2014
Pretoria - As of today, South Africa’s highest courts will no longer fall under the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development but will instead be administered by the relatively new Office of the Chief Justice.
This after Justice Minister Michael Masutha today announced the transfer of administrative functions and staff attached to the superior courts of the department from 1 October.
The process already got underway after the new Office of the Chief Justice was created through a presidential proclamation in 2010.
Masutha says the move is aimed at ensuring the Constitutionally mandated independence and “judicial authority” of courts but adds he will still have to take executive accountability.
Masutha says from April next year, the Office of the Chief Justice will be required to table its own budget for approval by Parliament.
Masutha says the move is aimed at ensuring the Constitutionally mandated independence and “judicial authority” of courts but adds he will still have to take executive accountability.
Masutha says from April next year, the Office of the Chief Justice will be required to table its own budget for approval by Parliament.
He says the department will transfer the appropriate amount from the balance of its R1.4-billion budget to support the Office of the Chief Justice for the rest of this financial year.
Long term plans will see administrative functions of lower courts, such as Magistrate’s Courts, also moving to the Office of the Chief Justice.
Sabrina Dean/OFM News
Michael Masutha:
Michael Masutha:
