10 Mar 2024

The expansion of the Industrial Court buildings in Gaborone to add two more courtrooms and offices is at the design stage and has been allocated a budget of P17.2 million.

Minister of Justice, Mr Machana Shamukuni said Wednesday when presenting the Industrial Court budget for the 2024/25 financial year.

He told Parliament that  consultants engaged to design the project were expected to complete by March and that construction would commence in the 2024/25 financial year.

On other issues, he noted that the Industrial Court had established a division of the court in Maun and had been in operation since February 2023.

The Maun Industrial Court, he said, would also service the catchment areas of Ghanzi, Shakawe, Kasane and Gumare.

However, he said the new development faced lack of accommodation. Parliament also heard that the office was currently operating from the Administration of Justice and Labour offices.

He noted that land had been requested from the Department of Lands where porta cabins, which were being procured, would be placed.

Furthermore, Mr Shamukuni said the Industrial Court had been working on the development and implementation of a record management system, which was envisaged to improve the efficiency of the court as it would electronically capture, track, store and manage reported case processes. 

Minister Shamukuni said the system would also provide secure online filing to ensure the integrity of records, ease communication between various departments and parties to a case, including other relevant stakeholders as well as provide for virtual court hearing.

He noted that the records management system had been developed and that the court was in the process of training officers on the use of the platform, adding that stakeholders and members of the public would be trained during the next financial year.

The minister said the procurement of softwares and hardwares would be concluded during the 2024/25 financial year.

As for court cases, Mr Shamukuni said there was an increase in the number of registered cases, noting that 1 109 cases were registered between April 2023 and January 2024 against 925 registered in the previous financial year.

As for this year, he said, 1 077 cases were completed against 1 101 cases completed at the same time in the last financial year, adding that backlog eradication was a top priority for the Industrial Court.

As for the 2024/25 budget proposal, Minister Shamukuni proposed P78.4 million for the Industrial Court, comprising of P58.6 million for the recurrent budget and P19.8 million for the development budget.

He said the development budget proposal covered the expansion of the Gaborone Division, fleet expansion and customisation of the Maun courtroom, furnishing and installation of the local area network as well as the refurbishment of the Kanye office.

The proposed budget proposal was  subsequently approved by Parliament. Ends