ATC210514: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services on the Annual Performance Plan for 2021/22 of the Office of the Chief Justice and Vote 27: Office of the Chief Justice, dated 14 May 2021

Justice and Correctional Services

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services on the Annual Performance Plan for 2021/22 of the Office of the Chief Justice and Vote 27: Office of the Chief Justice, dated 14 May 2021

 

The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, having considered the Annual Performance Plan for 2021/22 of the Office of the Chief Justice and Vote 27: Office of the Chief Justice, reports as follows:

 

1. Context

 

1. Consideration of the plans of departments and the allocation of resources continues to occur amid the outbreak of the viral disease COVID-19 that has required various restrictive measures to manage the disease and protect the people of South Africa.

 

1. Further consideration must be given to the weak state of our economy. Fiscal policy, therefore, seeks to focus on short-term economic support, pro-growth fiscal consolidation and debt stabilisation. Notably, narrowing the budget deficit and stabilising the debt-to-GDP ratio requires that expenditure growth is curbed. The 2021 Budget, therefore, proposes to reduce expenditure over the MTEF period by R264.9 billion, or 4.6% of GDP. Most of the proposed adjustments are to the public sector wage bill.

 

1. The Peace and Security function, of which the OCJ forms part, accounts for approximately 12.1% of government’s expenditure. Over the MTEF, expenditure on this function declines from R218.6 billion in 2020/21 to R213.4 billion in 2023/24. As most departments falling in this function are labour intensive (the OCJ included), spending reductions largely affect personnel.

 

1. The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) was established primarily to support the Chief Justice in executing his/her administrative and judicial powers and duties as Head of the Judiciary and Head of the Constitutional Court. In line with section 165 of the Constitution and the Superior Courts Act 2013 and as determined by the Minister of Public Service and Administration in 2010, the OCJ has the following functions:

• Providing and coordinating legal and administrative support to the Chief Justice.
• Providing communication and relationship management services and inter-governmental and international coordination.
• Developing courts administration policy, norms and standards.
• Supporting the development of judicial policy, norms and standards.
• Supporting the judicial function of the Superior Courts.
• Supporting the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJEI) in the execution of their mandates.
• Administering the Judges’ Remuneration and Conditions of Employment Act.

 

1. On 5 May 2021, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services addressed the Committee on the political priorities relevant to the OCJ’s mandate. The Minister’s speech is available from the Committee Secretariat. However, the following is highlighted:

• As the country continues to readjust to life within a COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to ensure that access to justice is not compromised and the courts continue to operate in line with the Chief Justice’s Directives.
• Budget constraints/cuts cannot be allowed to compromise service delivery. As such, consideration must be given to new methods that will assist service delivery, despite the present challenges, financial and otherwise.
• The capacitation of the South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJEI) remains a key priority. By providing training to aspirant judicial officers and the further/continued education to serving judges, SAJEI contributes to the delivery of quality justice. SAJEI will make use of virtual platforms to continue providing training to Judicial Officers.
• Court digitisation is critical to ensure accessible and quality justice. The OCJ will roll out the Court Online system to 12 service centres over the MTEF period. Virtual court hearings have been conducted since the declaration of the national state of disaster and the accompanying regulations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The OCJ will continue to support these, as well as the envisaged increase in the virtual court hearings and the use of electronic platforms (such as Court Online) over the MTEF.

 

1. The OCJ presented its Annual Performance Plan 2021/22 and budget for the 2021 MTEF on 5 May 2020. The presentation is available from the Committee Secretariat.

 

1. The meeting took place on the Zoom virtual platform.

 

 

1. Overview of the Vote for the 2021 MTEF

 

1. The OCJ is allocated R2.33 billion in 2021/22. Notably, the OCJ was allocated R2.45 billion for 2020/21 but this was adjusted downwards by R144 million to R2.3 billion. The budget is expected to increase over the MTEF to R2.35 billion in 2022/23 and R2.6 billion in 2023/24.

 

1. The allocation for programmes is R1.2 billion or 52.7% of the total allocation, while the remainder comprises of the direct charge for Judges’ salaries.

 

Budget allocation for the Office of the Chief Justice per programme - 2021 MTEF

Programme	Adjusted Appropriation 2020/21	MTEF			Average Expenditure/ Total %
		2021/22	2022/23	2023/24
	R million
Administration	218.8	229.3	233.5	239.3	9.9%
Superior Court Services	910.2	919.1	931.8	936.0	39.6%
Judicial Education and Support	59.2	63.4	60.6	57.6	2.6%
Subtotal	1 188.1	1 288.1	1 225.9	1 232.9	52%
Judges’ Salaries	1 117.9	1 118.4	1 122.6	1 124.7	48%
Total	2 306.1	2 330.3	2 348.4	2 357.6	100%
Changes to 2021 Budget Estimate	(144.7)	(274.4)	(368.8)	-	-

 

Budget allocation for the Office of the Chief Justice per economic classification - 2021 MTEF

Economic Classification	Adjusted Appropriation 2020/21	MTEF
		2021/22	2022/23	2023/24
	R’ million	R’ million	R’ million	R’ million
Compensation of employees (including Judges’ remuneration)	1 703.1	1 739.0	1 738.7	1 740.1
Good and services	310.9	351.4	361.9	365.2
Transfers and subsidies	128.1	131.0	135.8	136.5
Payments for capital assets	110.2	108.9	122.0	115.2
Total	2 306.1	2 330.3	2 348.4	2 357.6

 

1. Budget reductions

 

1. The OCJ’s baseline is reduced by R274 million in 2021/22 and R368.8 million in 2022/23.

• Under the voted funds, the Superior Court Services programme is the most affected by the cuts (R87.4 million in 2021/22 and R124.6 million in 2022/23).
• The direct charges for Judges conditions of service is also reduced (R150.3 million in 2021/22 and R196.3 million in 2022/23).
• In terms of economic classification, the cut to the compensation of employees’ budget for both voted funds and the direct charges is significant (R254.7 million in 2021/23 and R343.2 million in 2022/23).

 

Programme	2021/22 R’million	2022/23 R’million
Administration	(20.5)	(27.2)
Superior Court Services	(87.4)	(124.6)
Judicial Education and Support	(16.2)	(20.7)
Subtotal	(124.0)	(172.5)
Direct charges	(150.3)	(196.3)
Total	(274.4)	(368.8)
Economic classification
Compensation of employees	(254.7)	(343.2)
Voted	(109.8)	(153.9)
Direct charges	(144.9)	(189.3)
Goods and services	(8.2)	(10.5)
Transfers and subsidies	(5.4)	(7.1)
Voted	(0.06)	(0.08)
Direct charges	(5.3)	(7.0)
Purchase of capital assets	(6.0)	(8.0)
Total	(274.4)	(368.8)

 

1. The reductions will have the following impact:

• A reduced ability to resource courts (human resources, aging ICT infrastructure and tools of trade/equipment). This will negatively affect judicial functions (case processing and adjudications); court modernisation and access to justice as there will be fewer circuit courts.
• The OCJ has filled the newly funded establishment of the Mpumalanga High Court. However, the cuts have, in effect, reversed the additional funds previously allocated for this purpose and going forward these posts will have to be funded from the baseline. Consequently, it will not be possible to fill vacant posts in other Divisions.
• The reduction of the Compensation of Employees’ budget will prevent the OCJ from filling critical posts that are presently vacant or become vacant over the MTEF period. This adversely affects the OCJ’s ability to provide support to the Judiciary and Superior Courts. (71 funded administrative posts will be lost in 2021/22; 74 posts in 2022/23; and 102 posts in 2023/24).
• Cuts to the Goods and Services and Purchase of Capital Assets budgets will impact on court modernisation; training of judicial officers; providing sufficient witness administration; and providing sufficient translation and transcription services.
• The cut to the direct charges for the salaries of judges and acting judges will adversely affect the judicial function.

 

 

1. Policy framework and strategic and annual planning

 

1. The National Development Plan 2030 identifies, among others, the need to build safer communities; build a capable and developmental state; and strengthen judicial governance and the rule of law. The OCJ contributes to all of these but, in particular, the support it provides to the Judiciary is intended to strengthen judicial governance and the rule of the law by:

• Accelerating reforms to implement a judiciary-led court administration.
• Ensuring an efficient court system.
• Reducing inefficiencies in the administration of the courts.
• Ensuring access to justice.

 

1. The Medium Term Strategic Framework 2019 – 2024 acknowledges that the challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment continue to hold back the achievement of South Africa’s national development. To address these challenges, the MTSF identifies a number of priority areas, including ‘A capable, ethical and developmental state’ and ‘Social cohesion and safe communities’, which are of particular relevance. In addition, the MTSF identifies the lack of access to resources and opportunity for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities as being cross-cutting, requiring a variety of interventions.

 

1. Over the five-year period of its strategic plan, the OCJ plans to contribute to:

 

1. ‘A capable, ethical and developmental State’ by:

• Addressing fraud and corruption.
• Promoting an ethical culture.
• Integrating Batho Pele principles into the Department’s institutional culture.
• Adhering to corporate governance principles, such as leadership, strategy and performance, risk and stakeholder management.
• Improving court operations systems.
• Modernising court processes and systems.

 

1. ‘Economic transformation and job creation’ by implementing equity programmes targeting employment and empowerment of youth, women, and people with disabilities in both its recruitment and procurement processes.

 

1. ‘Social cohesion and safe communities’, by ensuring access to a safe and secure court environment and improving the integrity of court processes/ outcomes, as well as capacitating/ resourcing the courts in order for them execute their mandate.

 

1. The OCJ intends to have the following impact over the five-year term - ‘Quality and accessible justice for all’ - and has identified the following strategic outcomes:

• Effective and efficient administrative support.
• Improved court efficiency.
• Enhanced judicial education and support.

 

MTSF 2019 – 2024: Outcomes, outcome indicators and targets

IMPACT STATEMENT: Quality and accessible justice for all
Outcome	Outcome Indicator	Five-year target
Priority 1: A capable, ethical and developmental State
Effective and efficient administrative support	Percentage of staff trained in line with the Workplace Skills Plan	80% (New target)
Priority 6: Social cohesion and safe communities
Improved court efficiency	Percentage finalisation of quasi-judicial matters within prescribed timeframes	90% (New target)
Enhanced judicial education and support	Increased judicial education courses	550 courses   [Baseline: 142 courses]

 

1. These broad outcomes give rise to the OCJ’s four (4) strategic objectives:

• Capacitate the office of the Chief Justice.
• Ensure good governance in the administration of the department.
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the Superior Courts and the Judicial Services Commission
• Enhance judicial skills of serving and aspiring judicial officers to perform optimally.

 

1. The OCJ’s Annual Performance Plan 2021/22 plans to:

• Implement initiatives that contribute to broadening and improving access to justice and services of the Superior Courts.
• Ensure an efficient court system and provide judicial support.
• Reduce inefficiencies in court administration through modernised systems, processes and infrastructure.
• Implement measures that are intended to address the impact of COVID-19.

 

1. The OCJ has identified the following key risks and mitigation strategies for each of its outcomes for 2021/22:

 

Risks and mitigation strategies 2021/22

Risks	Mitigation
Outcome: Effective and efficient administrative support
Possible exposure to fraud and corruption.	Continuous awareness of policies. Strengthen internal controls relating to financial management and court order processes. Monitor the implementation of fraud prevention and anti-corruption strategy.
Delays in the implementation of the Court Online system due to external dependencies.	Reinforce stakeholder relations to ensure commitment to project resourcing.
Inability to fully capacitate the OCJ to operate in the new normal.	Reprioritization of resources to implement the new way of doing business. Skills capacitation to operate in the new normal.
Inaccurate performance reports produced.	Conduct assessment and analysis of the OCJ’s performance on a monthly and quarterly basis and produce monitoring reports.
Outcome: Improved court efficiency
Inadequate administrative support to ensure court efficiency	Prioritise the appointment of registrars. Continuous training of registrars.
Outcome: Enhanced judicial performance
Inadequate resources to conduct judicial education and provide support	Implementation of the virtual and e-learning module for Judicial Education.

 

1. Aligning planning with expenditure

 

1. Over the MTEF period, the Office of the Chief Justice will focus on improving access to justice and the services of the superior courts, increasing access to judicial education courses, and implementing initiatives to address the impact of COVID‐19:

• To provide access to justice, expenditure for the High Courts’ sub-programme within the Superior Court Services programme is set to increase from R728.1 million in 2020/21 to R742.3 million in 2023/24. Ensuring that the judiciary is supported by a sufficient number of core staff such as registrars and researchers with the necessary skills is prioritised.

 

• To provide improved services, in the Corporate Services sub-programme in the Administration programme, the increased need for streaming services to conduct virtual meetings and online training due to COVID‐19 restrictions is expected to result in expenditure of R131.7 million in 2021/22 and in 2022/23, mostly on goods and services such as travel and subsistence, and venues and facilities.

 

• To provide for judicial education and training, the South African Judicial Education Institute sub-programme will continue to conduct judicial education and training courses through virtual platforms. This results in decreased expenditure in the Judicial Education and Support programme from R40.4 million in 2020/21 to an estimated R33.1 million in 2023/24. Despite these decreases, the number of courses conducted is expected to increase from 100 in 2020/21 to 115 in 2023/24.

 

• To ensure the safety of its personnel and their families, in 2021/22, the OCJ plans to conduct COVID‐19 educational programmes and training for a targeted 190 safety officers. This is budgeted for within the Administration programme, in which expenditure is set to increase from R218.8 million in 2020/21 to R239.3 million in 2023/24.

 

1. Programmes

 

1. Programme 1: Administration

 

1. The purpose of this programme is to provide strategic leadership, management and support services to the Department. The programme consists of the following sub-programmes: 

• The Management subprogramme provides administrative, planning, monitoring, evaluation, performance reporting and risk management functions necessary to ensure effective functioning of the Department. 

• The Corporate Services sub-programme provides an integrated Human Resources Management (HRM), Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Security Management Support Services to the Department. 
• The Finance Administration subprogramme provides overall financial, asset and supply chain management services to the Judiciary and the Department.
• The Internal Audit and Risk Management sub-programme provides overall internal audit and forensic audit services to the Department.
• The Office Accommodation sub-programme provides for the acquisition of office accommodation for the Department.

 

1. Output indicators and targets are as follows:

 

Administration: Output indicators and annual targets 2020/21

Output Indicator	Annual Targets
	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24
Outcome: Effective and efficient administrative support
Audit outcome for the OCJ	Clean audit outcome	Clean audit outcome	Clean audit outcome	Clean audit outcome
Percentage of tenders in the department’s procurement plan awarded to suppliers with level 4 and above BBBEE status	80%	80%	80%	80%
Percentage of designated employees (SMS members other categories) who submitted financial disclosures within timeframes	100%	100%	100%	100%
Percentage of funded vacant posts on PERSAL per year	10% or lower	10% or lower	10% or lower	10% or lower
Percentage of staff in the department comprised of youth	30%	30%	30%	30%
Percentage of women representation in Senior Management Service (SMS)	50%	50%	50%	50%
Percentage of people with disabilities representation in the department	2%	2%	2%	2%
Court online system implemented at service centres	Rolled out at 2 service centres	Rolled out at 2 service centres	Rolled out at 5 service centres	Rolled out at 5 service centres
Number of Employer health and wellness programmes implemented	9	9	9	9

 

1. The OCJ has the following COVID-19 related indicators and targets for 2021/22;

 

Administration: COVID-19 related indicators and targets 2021/22

Output indicator	Annual Target 2021/22	Quarter 1	Quarter 2	Quarter 3	Quarter 4
Number of COVID-19 OHS inspections conducted at OCJ	4	1	1	1	1
Number of COVID-19 educational programmes implemented	4	1	1	1	1
Number of COVID-19 related trainings conducted for safety officers	4	1	1	1	1
Number of COVID-19 compliance reports produced	4	1	1	1	1
Number of COVID-19 risk mitigation reports produced	4	1	1	1	1

 

1. The Administration programme is allocated R229.3 million in 2021/22, R233.5 million in 2022/23 and R239.3 million in 2023/24. Notably, R20.5 million is cut from the baseline in 2021/22, with a further budget reduction of R27.2 in 2022/23.

 

1. Aligning planning with expenditure:

 

• As a result of COVID-19, technology has become a major driver in ensuring business continuity. The increased need for streaming services to conduct virtual meetings, online training and remote working due to COVID-19 restrictions is expected to result in expenditure of R124.4 million in 2021/22 that will increase to R131.7 in 2023/24 in the Corporate Services sub-programme in the Administration programme.
• In 2021/22, the Department plans to conduct COVID-19 educational programmes and training for a targeted 190 safety officers. The Department will also see an increase in expenditure on Employees Health and Wellness (EHW), as well as Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), as the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for EHW programmes for officials and their families and there are increased compliance requirements to ensure the safety of employees and the users of all OCJ’s facilities. This is budgeted for within the Corporate Services sub-programme.
• The number of personnel in Administration is expected to decrease from 183 in 2021/22 to 177 in 2023/24. The decrease is as result of financial constraints that will prevent identified posts from being filled as they become vacant.

 

1. Programme 2: Superior Court Services

 

1. This programme provides judicial support and court administration services to the Superior Courts. The programme consists of the following sub-programmes: 

• The Administration of Superior Courts subprogramme provides administrative and technical support to the Superior Courts, monitors the overall performance of the Superior Courts, and enhances judicial stakeholder relations.  
• The Constitutional Court subprogramme funds the activities and operations of the Constitutional Court.
• The Supreme Court of Appeal subprogramme funds the activities and operations of the Supreme Court of Appeal.
• The High Courts’ subprogramme funds the activities and operations of the various high court divisions.
• The Specialized Courts subprogramme funds the activities and operations of the labour, land, electoral and competition courts.

 

1. All performance indicators and targets that address court performance were removed, leaving only those that relate to quasi-judicial performance and support to the Superior Courts. Output indicators and annual targets are as follows:

 

Superior Court Services – Output indicators and annual targets 2020/21 -2023/24

Output Indicator	Medium Term Targets
	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24
Outcome: Improved court efficiency
Percentage of default judgments finalised by Registrars within 14 days	70%	72%	74%	76%
Percentage of taxation of legal costs finalised within 60 days from date of set down	70%	75%	80%	85%
Percentage of warrants of release delivered within one day of release granted	100%	100%	100%	100%
No. of monitoring reports on Court Order integrity produced	4	4	4	4
Number of Judicial Case Flow Management Performance reports produced	4	4	4	4
Number of reports on enhancement of court order integrity produced	4	4	4	4

 

1. Planned expenditure

 

• The Superior Courts Services programme is allocated R919.1 million in 2021/22 (compared with R910.2 in 2020/21); R931.8 million in 2022/23; and R936 million in 2023/24.
• The number of personnel is expected to decrease from 1 762 in 2021/22 to 1 708 in 2023/24.
• The roll-out and implementation of the Court Online system, as well as modernisation of court processes will play a key role in ensuring that the decrease in the number of personnel does not impact on the provision of services, as well as increasing access to justice for all.

 

 

1. Programme 3: Judicial Education and Support

 

1. Judicial Education and Support provides education programmes to Judicial Officers, including policy development and research services for the optimal administration of justice.

 

1. The programme has the following sub-programmes: 

• The South African Judicial Education Institute sub-programme funds the activities of the SAJEI to provide training for Judicial Officers.
• The Judicial Policy, Research and Support sub-programme funds the provision of advisory opinions on policy development and regulatory services to the Judiciary and the Department.
• The Judicial Service Commission subprogramme provides secretariat and administrative support services to the Judicial Service Commission to perform its constitutional and legislative mandates effectively.

 

1. Output indicators and targets are as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

Judicial Education and Support – Output indicators and annual targets

Output Indicator	Annual Targets
	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24
Outcome: Enhanced judicial education and support
No. of judicial education courses conducted	100	105	110	115
No. of research monographs for Judicial Education produced per year	2	2	2	2
No. of litigation reports produced	4	4	4	4
No. of reports on judicial appointments and judicial complaints produced	2	3	3	3

 

1. The Judicial Education and Support programme is allocated R63.4 million for 2021/22 (compared with R59.2 million in 2020/21); R60.6 million in 2022/23; and R5 7.6 million in 2023/24. The spending focus for this programme remains on conducting training for judicial officers.

• The decrease in the expenditure is under the South African Judicial Education Institute sub-programme, which declines from R39.6 million in 2021/22 to R33.1 million in 2023/24. Despite this, the number of courses to be conducted is expected to increase from 105 in 2021/22 to 115 in 2023/24. The majority of training will be conducted through online / virtual platforms, resulting in savings of consequential expenditure relating to physical training such as venue costs as well as travel and subsistence.
• During the 2021/22 financial year, R16.8 million is budgeted for Judicial Policy, Research and Support, which is mainly used for ensuring that conditions of service of Judicial Officers are efficiently administered, as well as ensuring judicial accountability by administering a record of Judges’ registrable interests.
• The number of personnel is expected to slightly decrease from 34 in 2021/22 to 33 in 2023/24.

 

 

1. Committee’s observations

 

1. Budget reductions. The Committee understands the need for the budget cuts but is concerned about the ‘one size fits all’ approach to determining these. Fiscal policy targets the reduction of the public sector wage bill and so, the cuts are largely felt in the salaries’ budgets of departments. This puts departments that are labour-intensive, such as the OCJ, in an especially difficult position. The Committee notes the negative effect that the cuts will have on the delivery of justice services in our courts and is extremely concerned that this will compromise the right of users of our courts to access to justice. Furthermore, the cuts may undermine the judicial function. In particular, the failure to adequately resource the Judiciary could be regarded as undermining judicial independence. The Committee is of the view that the decision to implement cuts should be fit for purpose and it should not be forgotten that the rule of law supports healthy economies and allows people to feel safe.

 

1. Case backlogs. The Committee remains extremely concerned about the greater than normal workload in our courts, reflected in an increased number of backlog cases, as a result of the courts having to restrict the matters being heard on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further the focus on addressing backlogs impacts on the ability to hear new matters, creating a snowball effect. The fear is that the case backlogs may eventually overwhelm the legal system, undermining the right of access to justice. Although there is a plan to address the backlogs, the Committee agrees that it is vital to ensure that the courts have sufficient, even additional capacity – in the form of warm bodies - in order to efficiently deliver court services in line with the standards and the court rules. However, given that the budget cuts affect the compensation of employees’ budget for both voted funds and the direct charges, the Committee is unclear about the extent to which realising the plan will be possible. The Committee, however, will continue to monitor the problem and asks that the OCJ provide it with information on a quarterly basis regarding how many cases have not been heard in the Superior Courts as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown.

 

1. Court modernisation. The Committee has previously observed that the crisis has highlighted the inefficiencies of our court processes. The ‘new normal’ as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has created impetus to the court modernisation projects that were being piloted before the lockdown: the OCJ has continued to deliver services utilising technology mainly for conducting court hearings, conducting judicial education and training, training of officials and convening meetings. In 2021/22, the intention is to continue along this trajectory, continuing to make use of the Court Online system and improving the ICT infrastructure so that it can respond to business needs. The focus will also be on modernising the OCJ’s ICT networks to cope with the increased demand for data transmission and implementation of court modernisation systems. The ICT 5-year Strategic Plan provides the technology roadmap to automate, digitise, and transform the delivery of services. The Committee supports these initiatives that over the medium to longer term should assist to eliminate inefficiencies allowing for the speedier, more effective and possibly less costly delivery of justice. The Committee, however, is extremely concerned that a lack of funds may undermine the rollout of these key modernisation projects. The Committee is keen to understand the scope of the modernisation projects and will request a dedicated briefing as soon as its programme permits. Furthermore, the Committee will continue to monitor progress on a regular basis.

 

1. Land Court. The Committee notes that the establishment of the Land Court will require additional resources, including provision for the appointment of permanent judges and support staff. The Committee trusts that the OCJ will not be required to find funds for the implementation of the court from its already stretched baseline and understands that the OCJ is engaging National Treasury on just this. However, the Committee will engage further on the resourcing of the court when considering the Land Court Bill.

 

1. Targets aimed at women, youth and people with disabilities. Although the OCJ did not achieve the target of 50% females at SMS level and the target of 2% for people with disabilities representation Committee welcomes the OCJ’s commitment to reaching its targets by recruiting women in management positions and people with disabilities and the youth. The Committee notes as well the OCJ’s intention to implement targeted strategies. These include the possibility of partnering with various NGOs responsible for promoting the interests of people living with disabilities and prioritising this category during the recruitment processes. The OCJ plans also to ensure gender equity at SMS level by making use of a number of strategies, including mentoring women in middle management positions and prioritising women in training and development programmes which prepares them for SMS positions. Furthermore, the OCJ will continue to empower women, youth and people with disabilities through its procurement and recruitment processes. The Committee will continue to monitor progress regularly.

 

1. Meeting with the Judiciary. The Committee wishes to thank the OCJ for its role in facilitating the meeting between it and the Judiciary that took place earlier this year. The Committee undertook to engage with the Minister on a number of matters discussed and will arrange a meeting with him as soon as its programme permits.

 

1. Appreciation

 

1. The Committee wishes to thank the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mr R Lamola, and the Deputy Ministers: InKosi Patekile Holomisa and Mr J Jeffery, for the political overview.

 

1. The Committee also wishes to extend its appreciation to the Secretary-General, Ms M Sejosengwe, and the officials of the OCJ for their assistance in this process.

 

 

1. Recommendations

 

1. The Committee, having considered the Office of the Chief Justice’s Annual Performance Plan 2021/22, supports these and recommends that the National Assembly approve them.

 

1. The Committee, having considered the Budget Vote 27: Office of the Chief Justice and Judicial Administration, supports the Vote and recommends that it be approved.

 

 

Report to be considered