23 Feb 2021

Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi says Ghanzi magistrate court is not in the current National Development Plan (NDP) 11 and will be considered for inclusion in NDP 12 subject to funds availability.

Responding to a question from Member of Parliament for Ghanzi North, Mr John Thiite, Mr Mmusi said efforts were made to include the project during the mid-term review of NDP 11. However, he said it was not possible due to funding constraints which remained a challenge to resourcing most projects across the country.

Despite the challenges, Minister Mmusi said four expansive porta cabins had been provided and purposefully built to comprise two  court rooms as well as 14 associated offices for staff and the criminal and civil registries.

Additionally, he said the court was serviced by 17 support staff inclusive of bench clerks, court reporters and administration officers. He also noted that the court was staffed and operational, and that it had been capacitated to register and hear both criminal and civil cases.

Furthermore, Mr Mmusi said the court registered on average 30-40 cases of all case types on a monthly basis depending on the season, adding that the catchment area of the court services included the Ghanzi area, including Charles Hill, Ncojane, Dakar, Mamuno and the CKGR farming area.

He said the court was currently operating from the plot which was allocated to the Administration of Justice in 1998, saying the area around the court structure had been fenced whilst the area where the staff housing was to be constructed was unfenced due to financial constraints.

Mr Thiite had asked the minister if he was aware that Ghanzi District had no permanent structure for the magistrate court and when a permanent structure would be constructed.

He also asked the minister if he was aware that a plot was available for such a court as well as staff housing. ENDS