Magistrates’ Court reforms target delays, repeat trials

Virtual hearings and changes that allow trials to continue when magistrates leave office are at the heart of sweeping reforms brought to Parliament on Tuesday to cut backlogs in the lower courts.

Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley moved the second reading of the Magistrates’ Court Amendment Bill, telling the House of Assembly that the proposed changes represent a radical transformation of what he termed “the people’s court”.

The legislation focuses on institutional flexibility, allowing virtual hearings and ensuring legal proceedings can continue seamlessly if a magistrate leaves office permanently or temporarily.