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The Bulawayo High Court building

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is working on expanding the Bulawayo High Court and increasing the staff complement to enhance access to justice.

In her speech at the opening of the 2018 legal year on Monday, Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza said more judges would be seconded to the Bulawayo High Court this year.

“Over the years, it has been observed that there has been a sharp rise in the cases filed with the Bulawayo High Court. This will of necessity call for the deployment of more members of staff including Judges,” said Justice Gwaunza.

She said a decision has been taken to open up more space for offices and courtrooms.

“The Honourable Chief Justice has authorised that the Office of the Master of the High Court at Bulawayo be moved out of the High Court and located elsewhere. The space previously occupied by the Master of the High Court will be utilised as courtrooms and offices,” said Justice Gwaunza.

She said renovations have been underway since last year in a bid to preserve the iconic court house and create a pleasant environment for members of staff, litigants and the public.

“We are grateful for the support of the Government and other cooperating partners in assisting the JSC as it strives to deliver world class justice,” she said.

Justice Gwaunza said the recent appointment of eight new judges to the High Court is set to ease the burden on serving judges who were working under tremendous pressure as some of them would be deployed in Bulawayo.

“It is hoped that some of the new appointees would be deployed to Bulawayo which now has a shortage of judges especially after Justice Lawrence Kamocha retired,” she said.

The High Court in Bulawayo has been operating with three judges namely Justice Francis Bere, Justice Nicholas Mathonsi and Justice Nokuthula Moyo after Justice Kamocha retired last November.

Justice Gwaunza said the JSC had introduced an electronic case management system which will assist in management, monitoring and tracking of all cases as they are filed in various registries.

“The system will enable us to identify the causes of delays in justice delivery and thus promptly intervene and remedy the problem. We also hope that the system will help eliminate any corruption that may be in the system,” she said.

Justice Gwaunza said in pursuit of justice, the Chief Justice Luke Malaba instructed the Secretary of the JSC, Justice Rita Makarau to visit all provinces in the country to carry out an assessment of the state of courts and offices.

The judge said a number of renovations and repairs had been carried out in the Midlands and Matabeleland South provinces.She said last year, the JSC undertook to review the rules of various courts which were last reviewed in 1980.

“It is with great pleasure that I inform you that through Statutory Instrument 150 of 2017, the Labour Court Rules have since been amended and are now law. The JSC is still in the process of reviewing all Supreme Court Rules, High Court Rules and the Magistrates Court Rules which process we hope will be completed during the course of the year,” she said.

The Constitutional Court judge also took the opportunity to congratulate Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Francis Bere on his appointment as a member of the Sadc Administrative Tribunal bench.She said his appointment is a reflection of Sadc’s confidence in the quality and competence of members of Zimbabwe”s judiciary.

@AuxiliaK