Kubayi outlines strategies to tackle court backlogs and increase convictions

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi says efforts are being made to increase conviction rates for criminal court cases.

The Minister says statistics for the last financial year show there has been an increase in convictions for criminal court cases.

Kubayi was speaking at a media briefing after joining Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to address various law enforcement agencies at the Castle of Good Hope before their deployment at the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi says advocates in rural areas are opting to work for law firms rather than the State to earn more money.

Kubayi says her department is looking at solutions.

"So we're looking at infusing of students and partnering them with somebody senior that they can help and close that gap. So we do believe that will close the backlog that we have."

Kubayi says case mediation and the online court system are also decreasing the case backlog.