Team News and Updates

Sibasa Regional Court recently hosted a moot court for students from the University of Venda to educate them on how gender based violence and femicide (GBVF) cases are addressed in the courtroom and how legal processes should be carried out in a survivor-friendly manner.

South Africa celebrates Youth Month in June, and in responding to the many historic and current challenges that our country’s youth face, court teams in Limpopo and Mpumalanga are prioritising youth engagement in their End GBVF 100-Day Challenges. 

Launched in May, court teams set ambitious goals for reducing the backlog and turnaround times for GBVF cases, including sexual offences, domestic violence, divorce and maintenance cases. For this year’s End GBVF 100-Day Challenges, the team from Seshego Magistrate Court is aiming to reduce their backlog of sexual offence cases by 90% in 100 days. The team from Sibasa Regional Court has set a goal to increase the finalisation rate of GBVF cases by 100%.

While the court teams are hard at work implementing new strategies and innovations for reducing the backlog and increasing the finalisation of cases, they are also looking at various outreach and awareness initiatives that educate the public on how the justice system works to provide protection for survivors of GBVF.

Giyani Magistrate Court held a moot court project with three local schools:  Giyani High School, Gija Ngove and Mbhangazeki High Schools. The aim was to demonstrate how cases of sexual offences and harassment are handled by the court. The 36 learners and six educators embarked on a role-play presenting different scenarios of harassment: verbal, psychological and cyberbullying. Each scenario demonstrated the negative impact of bullying in the school environment and concluded with justice being served.

Officials took part in the role-play process, with SAPS staff being included as both the respondent and complainant. This helped to create a realistic and conducive picture of normal court proceedings for the learners. Additionally, learners and educators were led by court officials to holding cells for observation and to gain a better understanding of the court layout. Feedback on the moot court was positive as learners and educators in attendance found it informative and educational.

“Increasing awareness of the justice system among youth plays an important role in empowering them with information that can protect their Rights. It is important that young people feel confident to address GBVF in their communities and they should be able to trust the justice system in swiftly responding to GBVF cases,” shares Sixolile Ngcobo, from the End GBVF 100-Day Challenges support  team. “Outreach activities such as these moot courts play an important role in the progress of each team’s 100-Day Challenge.  Greater understanding and  awareness of how the justice system works can encourage more survivors to come forward and report their cases, trusting the court to handle their case appropriately.”

Another key focus of the End GBVF 100-Day Challenges, which prioritises the wellbeing of youth, is the effort by court teams to reduce the backlog and turnaround times of maintenance cases. When families face delays, it hinders their ability to establish cohesive co-parenting agreements, leaving children in limbo. Therefore the justice system needs to act swiftly in processing and handling court cases for divorce and child maintenance.

“Thorough and efficient resolutions that lead to maintenance agreement among coparents, means improved stability and security for children, faster implementation of necessary financial support, and healthier, more cooperative co-parenting relationships,” shares Ngcobo. “Protecting our children’s rights in divorce and maintenance cases is crucial to avoid the trauma associated with parental separation and to ensure that children receive the upbringing that they deserve.”

The End GBVF 100-Day Challenges in courts across Limpopo and Mpumalanga will continue until August. A second cycle of 100-Day Challenges is scheduled to launch on Women’s Day, 9 August, involving teams from courts, municipalities, and TVET colleges nationwide.