08 Mar 2017

Parliament has been informed that there are currently two expatriate magistrates out of a compliment of 85 magistrates employed by government, and their contracts are due to expire in August, this year.
Responding to a parliamentary question, Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Shaw Kgathi said the two magistrates formed part of the 17 expatriate magistrates who were appointed in early 2000, when presumably the magistracy conditions of service were not attractive to citizens.
He noted that the number of expatriate magistrates had reduced from seven to two between April 2016 and March 2017.
Mr Kgathi also said the contracts of both magistrates were extended up to August, 2017 on the basis of their performance and experience.
He however assured Parliament that the country now had a pool of locals to fill the bench and thus there would be no justification for engagement of expatriate magistrates.
Francistown East MP, Mr Buti Billy had asked the minister to state the number of expatriate magistrates currently employed by government and why they continued to be employed when there are qualified Batswana. ENDS