JUSTICE IS DENIED BECAUSE JUSTICE IS DELAYED

June 8, 2006

STATEMENT RELEASED BY:
Mr. Jacobus H. van der Merwe
IFP spokesperson on Justice
Parliamentary Caucus

The Minister of Justice has been publicly sanctioned in Parliament for not answering a Parliamentary Question by Mr. J. H. van der Merwe which was overdue for two and half months. Thereafter she quickly submitted a hasty answer which sidesteps the Question and only serves to confirm the Minister's lack of professional capacity.

Mr. J H van der Merwe MP, IFP spokesperson on Justice, said:
"Although the Minister was asked which judgements by High Court judges are outstanding for longer than 30 days, she only announced that in the Cape High Court 81 judgements are outstanding for longer than 30 days. This in itself is shocking, but what is more serious, is her failure to answer how many judgements are outstanding for longer than 30 days in the other divisions of the High Court. Taking the Cape High Court as a guide, there must be hundreds of High Court judgements outstanding for longer than 30 days."

"This simply means that justice is denied, because justice is delayed."

"It means there is no effective control over High Court cases, as nobody appears to know which cases are still to be finalized."

The IFP repeats its plea to President Mbeki to dismiss the Minister from office and to appoint an incumbent who has the professional capacity to effectively perform the serious duties of the Justice Department.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Mr. J H van der Merwe: 082 444 4944
Noleen Hendricks: 082 886 9848