NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION NO.: 1205
DATE OF QUESTION: 15 APRIL 2011
1205. Mrs D A Schäfer (DA) to ask the Minister of Justice and
Constitutional Development:
(a) How many courts dealing with backlogs are currently in operation, (b)
where are these courts and (c) how many cases have been dealt with at each
of these courts in each of the financial years since their inception?
NW1341E
REPLY:-
(a) I have pleasure in informing the Honorable Member that as
at the end of February 2011, there were 56 Regional and 17 District Backlog
Courts as indicated in the table below.
(b) These courts are located as follows:
Province
Existing Regional Backlog Courts
Existing District Backlog Courts
Total
Eastern Cape
1
Port Elizabeth (court 2)
1
Uitenhage
2
Port Elizabeth (court 10)
2
Port Elizabeth
3
Port Elizabeth (court 14)
3
Mdantsane
4
Mthatha
5
Zwelitsha
8 Courts
Gauteng
1
Lenasia sitting at Protea (court 14)
2
Pretoria North
3
Pretoria (court 6)
4
Pretoria (court 7)
5
Pretoria (court 16) (Channelisation Court)
6
Tembisa
7
Tembisa (court 1)
8
Vereeniging
9
Johannesburg (bail court)
10
Randburg
10 Courts
Kwazulu Natal
1
Durban SCCU
1
Ntuzuma
2
Empangeni at Nongoma
2
Verulam at Newlands
3
Ixopo
3
Verulam at Tongaat
4
Kokstad
5
Ladysmith
6
Madadeni
7
Pietermaritzburg (court 7)
8
Pietermaritzburg (court 8)
9
Pietermaritzburg (court 9)
10
Pietermaritzburg (court 10)
11
Pinetown
12
Port Shepstone at Ezingolweni
13
Stanger (court 1)
14
Verulam at Durban
15
Verulam at Ndwedwe
16
Richardsbay at Nqwelezane
19 Courts
Western Cape
1
Blue Downs (court 1)
1
Bluedowns
2
Blue Downs (court 2)
2
Hermanus
3
Blue Downs (court 3)
3
Khayelitsha
4
Cape Town SCCU
4
Mitchells Plain
5
George
5
Strand
6
George (court 5)
6
Muizenberg
7
Goodwood
8
Khayelitsha
9
Worcester
10
Oudtshoorn (court 4)
11
Oudtshoorn (court 5)
17 Courts
Limpopo
1
Phalaborwa
1
Musina
2
Polokwane
3
Sekhukune
4
Thoyandou
5
Tzaneen
6 Courts
North West
1
Potchefstroom
1
Klerksdorp at Stilfontein
2
Brits
3
Temba/Moretele
4 Courts
Mpumalanga
1
Secunda Sexual Offences court
1
Witbank
2
Delmas
3 Courts
Northern Cape
1
Kimberley
2
Kimberley PRC
(Warenton,Jan Kempdorp,
Hartswater)
2 Courts
Free State
1
Welkom
1
Bloemfontein
2
Kroonstad
3
Sasolburg
4 Courts
Total
56 Courts
17 Courts
73 Courts
(c) The number of cases that have been dealt with at each of these courts
in each of the financial years since their inception are as follows:
* Number of Regional court cases dealt with from November
2006 to March 2007:
Province
Backlog Court
Months in operation for financial year
Total number of cases finalised
Total number of cases dealt with through withdrawals and transfer to other
courts
Eastern Cape
513 withdrawals
and 57 transfers
Port Elizabeth (court 2)
5
38
Port Elizabeth (court 10)
5
44
Port Elizabeth (court14)
5
57
Total
139
Gauteng
Pretoria (court 6)
5
49
Pretoria (court 7)
5
26
Pretoria North
5
45
Protea Saturday Courts
4
107
Total
227
KZN
Kokstad
2
28
Pietermaritzburg (court 7)
5
64
Pietermaritzburg (court 8)
5
71
Pietermaritzburg (court 9)
5
55
SCCU Durban
2
44
Port Shepstone at Ezingolweni
2
18
Total
280
Mpumalanga
Middelburg
1
7
Total
7
Western Cape
Blue Downs (court 1)
5
52
Blue Downs (court 2)
5
55
Khayelitsha
1
12
Paarl
2
22
Cape Town SCCU
2
9
Atlantis
3
52
Total
202
Grand Total
855
570
Total number of cases removed through the backlog courts for this period
1425
These cases were dealt with as follows:
* Finalised through Verdict/ ADR: 855 (43.6%) cases, namely -
* Guilty: 654 (76.7 %)
* Not guilty: 198
* Diversions: 3
* Cases removed at these case reduction backlog site centres
(as part of the backlog reduction project goals to deal with as many cases
as possible and where it is required to clean up the rolls as much as
possible and remove cases with no further possibility of success), through
re-screening and withdrawals were 513.
* They also transferred externally 57 cases to other courts
(eg. to higher courts for sentencing in terms of minimum sentences
previously).
* The total number of cases removed from the Regional Court
rolls as a result of the Backlog courts from November 2006 until the end of
March 2007 is 1425, comprising of 855 cases finalised, 513 withdrawn and 57
transferred.
* Number of Regional court cases dealt with from April 2007 to
March 2008:
Province
Backlog Court
Months In operation for financial year
Total number of cases finalised
Total number of cases dealt with through withdrawals and transfer to other
courts
Eastern Cape
1373 withdrawals
and 237 transfers
Mthatha
10
47
Port Elizabeth (court 2)
7
57
Port Elizabeth (court 10)
12
107
Port Elizabeth (court 14)
12
179
Zwelitsha
5
25
King Williams Town
5
17
Total
432
Free State
Bloemfontein
3
56
Total
3
56
Gauteng
Pretoria 6
11
86
Pretoria 7
12
79
Pretoria North
11
107
Tembisa
12
131
Lenasia at Protea 14
12
96
Vereeniging
5
96
Randburg
9
74
Total
669
KZN
Ixopo
3
19
Kokstad
12
98
Pietermaritzburg (court 7)
11
178
Pietermaritzburg (court 8)
12
215
Pietermaritzburg (court 9)
12
161
Pietermaritzburg (court 10)
3
47
SCCU Durban
12
217
Port Shepstone at Ezingolweni
12
145
Ubombo
4
41
Total
1121
Mpumalanga
Secunda Sexual Offences court
1
8
Middelburg
2
19
Nelspruit
5
22
Total
49
Western Cape
Blue Downs (court 1)
12
142
Blue Downs (court 2)
12
137
Goodwood
5
39
Khayelitsha
12
101
Paarl
12
263
Cape Town SCCU
12
205
Worcester
5
50
Atlantis
12
169
George
5
68
Total
1174
Northern Cape
Kimberley
2
2
Total
2
2
Grand Total
3503
1610
Total number of cases removed through the backlog courts for this period
5113
These cases were dealt with as follows:
The total number of cases removed from the Regional Court rolls as a result
of the Backlog courts from April 2007 until the end of March 2008 is 5113,
comprising of 3503 cases finalised, 1373 withdrawn and 237 transferred.
* Number of Regional court cases dealt with from April 2008 to
March 2009:
Province
Backlog Court
Months in operation for financial year
Total number of cases finalised
Total number of cases dealt with through withdrawals and transfer to other
courts
Eastern Cape
1763 withdrawals
and 315 transfers
Mthatha
12
154
Port Elizabeth (court 2)
10
72
Port Elizabeth (court 10)
12
71
Port Elizabeth (court 14)
12
103
Zwelitsha
12
114
King Williams Town
7
23
Total
537
Free State
Bloemfontein
11
77
Total
77
Gauteng
Pretoria (court 6)
12
79
Pretoria (court 7)
12
96
Pretoria (court 16) (Channelisation Court)
8
0
Pretoria North
12
117
Tembisa
11
114
Lenasia at Protea 14
12
126
Vereeniging
3
63
Randburg
1
0
Total
595
KZN
Ixopo
12
83
Kokstad
12
106
Ladysmith
5
64
Pietermaritzburg (court 7)
12
98
Pietermaritzburg (court 8)
12
160
Pietermaritzburg (court 9)
12
129
Pietermaritzburg (court 10)
12
174
SCCU Durban
12
248
Verulam at Ndwedwe
4
29
Port Shepstone at Ezingolweni
12
123
Richardsbay at Ngwelezane
6
82
Ubombo
5
108
Total
1404
Mpumalanga
Secunda Sexual Offences court
11
117
Nelspruit
11
89
Secunda
4
12
Total
218
Western Cape
Blue Downs (court 1)
12
141
Blue Downs (court 2)
12
136
Goodwood
12
142
Khayelitsha
12
104
Paarl
12
175
Cape Town SCCU
12
129
Worcester
12
140
Atlantis
6
102
George
12
207
Somerset West
9
70
Total
1346
Northern Cape
Kimberley
12
70
Total
70
Limpopo
Thoyandou
11
193
Total
193
North West
Potchefstroom
3
27
Brits
2
8
Temba/Moretele
2
21
Total
7
56
Grand Total
4496
2078
Total number of cases removed through the backlog courts for this period
6574
These cases were dealt with as follows:
The total number of cases removed from the Regional Court rolls as a result
of the Backlog courts from April 2008 until the end of March 2009 is 6574,
comprising of 4496 cases finalised, 1763 withdrawn and 315 transferred.
* Number of Regional court cases dealt with from April 2009 to
March 2010:
Province
Backlog Court
Months in operation for financial year
Total number of cases finalised
Total number of cases dealt with through withdrawals and transfer to other
courts
Eastern Cape
2060 withdrawals
and 183 transfers
Mthatha
12
142
Port Elizabeth (court 2)
12
84
Port Elizabeth (court 10)
11
156
Port Elizabeth (court14)
12
94
Zwelitsha
12
131
Total
607
Free State
Kroonstad
11
97
Odendaalsrus
12
93
Bloemfontein
1
4
Total
194
Gauteng
Pretoria (court 6)
12
69
Pretoria (court 7)
12
68
Pretoria (court 16) (Channelisation Court)
12
23
Pretoria North
12
79
Tembisa
12
128
Lenasia at Protea 14
12
78
Vereeniging
9
89
Johannesburg bail court
9
0
Total
534
KZN
Pinetown
2
52
Madadeni
2
23
Ixopo
12
128
Kokstad
12
66
Ladysmith
11
269
Pietermaritzburg (court 7)
12
99
Pietermaritzburg (court 8)
12
173
Pietermaritzburg (court 9)
12
119
Pietermaritzburg (court 10)
12
126
SCCU Durban
12
95
Verulam at Ndwedwe
12
68
Port Shepstone at Ezingolweni
12
131
Empangeni at Nongoma
1
17
Verulam at Durban
1
9
Richardsbay at Ngwelezane
12
127
Total
1502
Mpumalanga
Secunda Sexual Offences court
6
9
Total
6
9
Western Cape
Blue Downs (court 1)
12
114
Blue Downs (court 2)
12
117
Blue Downs (court 3)
2
33
George
12
177
George (court 5)
7
36
Goodwood
12
145
Khayelitsha
12
98
Oudtshoorn (court 4)
7
19
Oudtshoorn (court 5)
1
9
Cape Town SCCU
12
90
Worcester
11
85
Paarl
10
172
Somerset West
9
37
Total
1132
Northern Cape
Kimberley
12
69
Kimberley PRC
2
2
Total
14
71
Limpopo
Thoyandou
12
244
Waterval
8
56
Modimolle
3
14
Phalaborwa
1
9
Mokerong
5
26
Total
349
North West
Potchefstroom
5
90
Molopo
3
13
Temba/Moretele
11
92
Total
195
Grand Total
4593
2243
Total number of cases removed through the backlog courts for this period
6836
These cases were dealt with as follows:
The total number of cases removed from the Regional Court rolls as a result
of the Backlog courts from April 2009 until the end of March 2010 is 6836,
comprising of 4593 cases finalised , 2060 withdrawn and 183 transferred.
* Number of Regional court cases dealt with from April 2010 to
February 2011:
Province
Backlog Court
Months in operation for financial year
Total number of cases finalised
Total number of cases dealt with through withdrawals and transfer to other
courts
Eastern Cape
2204 withdrawals
and 347 transfers
Mthatha
10
73
Port Elizabeth (court 2)
11
91
Port Elizabeth (court 10)
11
115
Port Elizabeth (court 14)
11
74
Zwelitsha
11
96
Total
449
Free State
Kroonstad
11
129
Welkom at Odendaalsrus (Moved to Welkom)
6
47
Sasolburg
6
62
Welkom
5
38
Total
276
Gauteng
Pretoria (court 6)
11
71
Pretoria (court 7)
11
45
Pretoria (court16) (Channelization)
11
4
Pretoria North
11
58
Tembisa
8
55
Tembisa (court 1)
10
90
Lenasia at Protea 14
11
93
Vereeniging
10
104
Johannesburg bail court
11
3
Randburg
5
28
Total
551
KZN
Pinetown
11
167
Madadeni
11
83
Ixopo
11
85
Kokstad
10
40
Ladysmith
9
122
Pietermaritzburg (court 7)
11
75
Pietermaritzburg (court 8)
11
82
Pietermaritzburg (court 9)
11
67
Pietermaritzburg (court 10)
11
105
SCCU Durban
11
102
Verulam at Ndwedwe
11
67
Port Shepstone at Ezingolweni
11
56
Empangeni at Nongoma
11
167
Verulam at Durban
11
95
Stanger
9
73
Richardsbay at Ngwelezane
4
8
Total
1394
Mpumalanga
Secunda Sexual Offences court
3
13
Total
3
13
Western Cape
Blue Downs (court 1)
11
96
Blue Downs (court 2)
11
96
Blue Downs (court 3)
11
152
George
11
67
George (court 5)
11
56
Goodwood
10
119
Khayelitsha
11
45
Oudtshoorn (court 4)
8
62
Oudtshoorn (court 5)
7
32
Cape Town SCCU
11
80
Worcester
8
19
Paarl (Terminated)
4
5
Somerset West (Terminated)
4
4
Total
833
Northern Cape
Kimberley
9
106
Kimberley-PRC
11
147
Total
253
Limpopo
Thoyandou
11
169
Waterval
(Terminated)
11
107
Modimolle (Terminated)
11
89
Tzaneen
11
178
Sekhukune
10
74
Phalaborwa
9
103
Polokwane
5
50
Total
770
North West
Potchefstroom
11
165
Molopo (Terminated)
6
13
Brits
8
37
Temba/Moretele
5
20
Total
5
235
Grand Total
4774
2551
Total number of cases removed through the backlog courts for this period
7325
These Regional Court cases were dealt with as follows:
The total number of cases removed from the Regional Court rolls as a result
of the Backlog courts from April 2010 until the end of February 2011 is
7325, comprising of 4774 cases finalised, 2204 withdrawn and 347
transferred.
From April 2010, Backlog Courts were also established to deal with the
District Court workload in the various provinces.
* Number of District court cases dealt with from April 2010 to
February 2011:
Province
District Backlog Courts
Months in operation for financial year
Total number of cases finalised
Total number of cases dealt with through withdrawals and transfer to other
courts
Eastern Cape
2682 withdrawals
and 158 transfers
Mdantsane
9
58
Port Elizabeth
7
445
Uitenhage
7
249
Total
752
Free State
Bloemfontein
8
100
Total
100
KZN
Ntuzuma
11
180
Verulam at Newlands
11
478
Verulam at Tongaat
11
339
Total
33
997
Mpumulanga
Delmas
10
179
Witbank
8
157
Total
336
Western Cape
Khayelitsha
10
164
Blue Downs
11
308
Hermanus
11
798
Mitchells Plain
10
721
Strand
9
315
Muizenberg
11
608
Total
62
2914
Limpopo
Musina
3
83
Total
3
83
North West
Klerksdorp at Stilfontein
6
56
Total
6
56
Grand Total
5238
2840
Total number of cases removed through the backlog courts for this period
8078
These district court cases were dealt with as follows:
The District Backlog Courts have since 1 April 2010 until the end of
February 2011 dealt with:
* Finalised through Verdict/ ADR: 5238 (74.1%) cases, namely -
* Guilty: 3508 (87.5 %)
* Not guilty: 500
* Diversions: 1230
* Cases removed through re-screening and withdrawals were 2682.
* They also transferred externally 158 cases.
The total number of cases removed from the District Court rolls as a result
of the Backlog Courts from April 2010 until the end of February 2011 is
8078, comprising of 5238 cases finalised, 2682 withdrawn and 158
transferred.
The total number of cases removed from the Regional and District Court
rolls as a result of the Backlog Courts since November 2006 until the end
of February 2011 is 35 351 cases, comprising of 23 459 cases finalised, 10
595 withdrawn and 1 297 transferred.