Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002)

Notices

Directions to address, prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19 in all Courts, Court Houses and Justice Service Points in the Republic of South Africa

1. Definitions
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In these Directions, unless the context indicates otherwise—

 

"Annexure"

means the Annexure to these Directions;

 

"case backlog"

means, in relation to a district or regional court—

(a) a civil case that has been in the district or regional court for longer than nine (9) months since the issue of summons without being finalised; and
(b) a criminal case that has not been finalised within nine (9) months of the first appearance of the accused in either a district or regional court;

 

"court room"

means a room in which proceedings of a court, commission or special tribunal are conducted and includes judges' chambers, a commissioner's chamber, magistrates' chambers, and audiovisual link or other audiovisual links such as teleconference or video conference or any other electronic mode linked to a court;

 

"court house"

means a court building or premises demarcated with or without a fence or a wall where a court is built or situated;

 

"court manager"

means an official appointed by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development or the Office of the Chief Justice, as the case may be, who manages a court house;

 

"Criminal Procedure Act"

means the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No. 51 of 1977);

 

"justice service point"

means a centre or an office where family law services or services of the Masters of the High Court are obtainable;

 

"National Prosecuting Authority"

means the National Prosecuting Authority established in terms of the National Prosecuting Authority Act, 1998 (Act No. 32 of 1998);

 

"priority roll"

means the roll of criminal cases that has been prioritised in respect of each court;

 

"state of disaster"

means the national state of disaster declared by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on 15 March 2020 in terms of section 27(1) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002), as extended; and

 

"the Regulations"

means the Regulations issued by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002), and published in Government Notice No. R. 480 of 29 April 2020, as amended.