Lockdown: No inmates to be transported to court

Justice Minister Ronald Lamola has announced inmates in prisons across the country will not be transported to court.

He said at a briefing on Wednesday: “[Court] postponements will be facilitated through video platforms from our correctional services to the courts.”

Lamola joined members of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster together with Governance, State Capacity and Institutional Development (GSCID) Cluster to brief the media about government interventions ahead of the 21-day national lockdown.

This after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday evening the lockdown was necessary to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Lamola said the Master’s Office, however, would continue with essential services.

“The Master’s Office will continue, for insurances, with burial and other relevant necessities. The rest will have to be postponed up until there is normality.”

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng announced earlier on Wednesday all courts, notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic, would continue to operate, to a limited extent, in dealing with urgent cases.

But this will not include the Constitutional Court and other superior courts which are currently in recess.

The national lockdown will come into effect at midnight on Thursday.

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