A SENIOR magistrate was seen running out of a courtroom on Tuesday, gagging at the terrible stench that currently pervades the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court building.
Proceedings have now been moved to the adjoining Port Shepstone police station as a temporary measure.
The courts are in a sickening state and have been overrun by vermin and fleas.
Making a bad situation even worse, the building hasn’t had a single drop of water for the past seven days.
Ugu District Municipality can’t explain why yet.
State Prosecutor and chairman of the Public Service Association (PSA) Rubeun Judnarain said: “Orderlies and magistrates can’t put up with it any longer so we have just had to move.
“In this day and age we are supposed to be working with our service providers. The courts are an essential service where people’s liberties are at stake.”
The cells for awaiting trial prisoners were also disgusting as they could not be cleaned because of the lack of water.
If the problem is not solved soon, all sorts of sicknesses are going to break out, – court official
“The health department should visit us and witness the conditions we are working in. It is not fair.”
There were also reports that Correctional Services Department and the SAPS had water disruptions the entire week.
Ugu District Municipality spokesman France Zama said these departments were receiving a low flow, but confirmed the courts were dry.
Investigations were being conducted to detect the problem and water tankers had been sent.
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