Gauteng judge president says delay tactics to frustrate legal processes

JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo says accused persons and their lawyers have developed delay tactics to frustrate legal processes.

Mlambo has been addressing the media on his division’s failure to meet its target of finalised criminal matters.

The latest annual judiciary report shows the Gauteng division only finalised 57% of its criminal matters which was below the 75% target.

The report, which was released this morning, covers the 2022 / 2023 financial year.

Mlambo said that the legal representatives of accused persons have been played a major role in delaying the wheels of justice.

"As judges, we are powerless to try and force them to say ‘No I am not going to allow that, we must run with this’ so that’s the major reason. It's not that judges are not there, judges are there, they are available, they are ready and able and willing to sit but they are prevented from running with this trial because of that.”