The Minister of Justice, Ronald Lamola, has evaded a question by the FF Plus about the costs incurred as a result of delays in court proceedings brought about by the lockdown.
According to Lamola, they are still doing the calculations to determine what it will cost taxpayers. Amos Masondo, Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, also shielded the Minister by not insisting that he must supply a written answer to a parliamentary question.
The fact of the matter is that prisoners awaiting trial in custody are costing taxpayers thousands of rand because the courts are not yet ready to proceed with litigation due to the draconian lockdown regulations.
Prisoners are merely being released on early parole because the prisons are overcrowded, using Covid-19 as an excuse for the decision is scandalous.
The fact that court cases cannot be heard also has a negative impact on the survival of many lawyers across the country, the delays mean that they are unable to meet their financial obligations.
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