By Nomahlubi Sonjica

All sections of the Motherwell magistrate‘s court have begun operating except for the criminal section of the new facility, which needs magistrates.

The reported increase in crime and the high unemployment rate in Motherwell prompted the government to build an additional court and police station last year.

The R40-million court building is situated in the heart of the township.

Acting court manager Andrew Witbooi said the maintenance, domestic violence and estates sections had started operating, but there were no magistrates to run the four criminal courts.

He said the administrative staff in the domestic violence section, which he regarded as the busiest, had received between 30 and 40 applications since the opening of the court this year.

Between 20 and 30 applications had been received in the maintenance section.

Witbooi said matters set down for the domestic violence section would be heard around January 21 and maintenance section matters would be heard in February.

The Motherwell court would be dealing with fresh cases, but would later transfer unheard cases from the New Brighton and New Law courts.

“The purpose of this court (Motherwell) is to lessen the burden on courts like New Brighton and the New Law Courts,” said Witbooi.

The senior magistrate at the New Law Courts in North End, Lamla Makaba, said a request was made to the justice department director general for the appointment of temporary magistrates for a period of at least six months.

“This would help fight the backlog in New Brigton and New Law Courts,” Makaba said.

“After six months, we would transfer some of our magistrates to Motherwell.”

Makaba said the request, which had been submitted in August last year, still required ministerial approval.

Court support services director Esser Allers said the department was looking into the matter.

“We have suggested that, in the meantime, magistrates be redeployed from the New Brighton court until we approach the minister to create posts for magistrates.”