Buffalo City Metro is set to establish its own municipal court in East London and R4-million has been budgeted for setting up its structure and operating costs.
A report tabled before council by acting city manager Bob Naidoo stated that the process for the establishment of municipal courts for the metro was approved and adopted by the council in March.
The initial plan was to establish four courts, but council decided to only establish one.
This means the budget would be decreased from R9-million to R4-million.
The four courts were to have been based in East London, Duncan Village, Mdantsane and King William’s Town.
“Due to budgetary constraints faced by the municipality we shall only establish one court in East London in the form of a pilot. The court will be housed in the East London Magistrate’s Court buildings. The operation of the court will take effect around July or August 2017.
“Every endeavour shall be made to establish the other remaining three courts in the period running between 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years,” Naidoo said.
The idea behind establishing the courts is to reduce the burden and workload at the magistrate’s court and give “priority” to offences regarded as “less important by the magistrate’s courts in their day-to-day operations”.
The “less important” offences were stated as:
lInfringement of a municipal by-law;
lViolation of traffic regulations;
lViolation of any other legislation administered by the municipality; and
lViolation of any other legislation determined by the National Prosecutions Authority.
BCM mayor Xola Pakati said BCM would work with the Department of Justice in establishing the court.
“The R4-million will be used for setting up the structure and operational costs.
“We have budgeted for it in the 2017-18 financial year,” said Pakati. “We have our own law enforcement agencies and we are trying to enforce by-laws and traffic fines.”
“The court will assist us in making sure that there is law and order in our metro,” he added.
Court managers and other administrative staff will be appointed by BCM. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
R4m municipal court on cards
A report tabled before council by acting city manager Bob Naidoo stated that the process for the establishment of municipal courts for the metro was approved and adopted by the council in March.
The initial plan was to establish four courts, but council decided to only establish one.
This means the budget would be decreased from R9-million to R4-million.
The four courts were to have been based in East London, Duncan Village, Mdantsane and King William’s Town.
“Due to budgetary constraints faced by the municipality we shall only establish one court in East London in the form of a pilot. The court will be housed in the East London Magistrate’s Court buildings. The operation of the court will take effect around July or August 2017.
“Every endeavour shall be made to establish the other remaining three courts in the period running between 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years,” Naidoo said.
The idea behind establishing the courts is to reduce the burden and workload at the magistrate’s court and give “priority” to offences regarded as “less important by the magistrate’s courts in their day-to-day operations”.
The “less important” offences were stated as:
lInfringement of a municipal by-law;
lViolation of traffic regulations;
lViolation of any other legislation administered by the municipality; and
lViolation of any other legislation determined by the National Prosecutions Authority.
BCM mayor Xola Pakati said BCM would work with the Department of Justice in establishing the court.
“The R4-million will be used for setting up the structure and operational costs.
“We have budgeted for it in the 2017-18 financial year,” said Pakati. “We have our own law enforcement agencies and we are trying to enforce by-laws and traffic fines.”
“The court will assist us in making sure that there is law and order in our metro,” he added.
Court managers and other administrative staff will be appointed by BCM. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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