14 Aug 2013

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso, has told Parliament that court bailiffs do not collect fines but track defaulters and attach property.

Responding to Shoshong MP, Mr Phillip Makgalemele’s question in Parliament, Ms Tshireletso said collection of fines was the work of revenue collectors. She added that as at the end of financial year 2012/13 in the Shoshong constituency, outstanding court fines stood at P1 760, while compensatory fines amounted to P21 185. 09.

She said outstanding fines at national level stood at P362 289.45 owed to courts and P105 0832.46 in compensatory fines. Ms Tshireletso said there were eight assistant court bailiffs in the constituency, while at national level there were 47 court bailiffs and 426 assistant court bailiffs.

She said the tools of trade for this cadre included, among others, identity cards, stationery and transport, which were not always adequate to efficiently achieve the desired output.

Mr Phillip Makgalemele had asked the assistant minister to state total outstanding amount of fines to be collected as at end of the financial year 2012/13 in his constituency, establishment of court bailiffs in the constituency and at national level, as well as tools of trade planned for this cadre to execute their job.Ends