a) During this financial year the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has planned to establish eighty (80) sexual offences courts (SOCs) in terms of section 55A of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007 (Act No. 32 of 2007) (the Act). This will be the first batch of the section 55A SOCs established in line with the resource specifications of the Regulations relating to Sexual Offences Courts. Many of these courts have been drawn from a pool of courts previously referred to as the MATTSO Sexual Offences Courts in order to bring them into compliance with section 55A of the Act, which requires all sexual offences courts to be established at courts designated by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, by way of notice in the Gazette. Below is the list of the planned eighty (80) sexual offences courts:
Regional Divisions |
Sexual Offences Courts to be established |
No. of SOCs |
Eastern Cape |
Dimbaza, East London, Port-Elizabeth |
3 |
Free State |
Bethlehem, Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, Brandfort, Ficksburg, Harrismith, Koffiefontein, Kroonstad, Ladybrand, Parys, Phuthaditjhaba, Thaba’Nchu, Welkom, Wepener, Zastron |
15 |
Gauteng |
Benoni, Booysens, Kagiso, Krugersdorp, Palm Ridge, Pretoria, Pretoria North, Randfontein, Roodepoort, Tembisa, Tsakane, Vereeniging |
12 |
KwaZulu-Natal |
Durban, Umlazi, Empangeni, Madadeni, Ntuzuma Pietermaritzburg, Pinetown, Scottsburgh |
8 |
Limpopo |
Giyani, Mahwelereng, Mankweng, Morebeng, Sibasa |
5 |
Mpumalanga |
Ermelo, Middleburg, Mbombela, Piet Retief, Secunda Mdutjana, Thulamahashe |
7 |
Northern Cape |
Kimberley, Upington, Springbok, Kathu, Kuruman Barkley West, Colesburg, Galeshewe, Fraserburg Kakamas, Postmansburg |
11 |
North West |
Potchefstroom, Ga-Rankuwa, Klerksdorp, Rustenburg Moretele, Mmabatho, Tlhabane |
7 |
Western Cape |
Atlantis, Bredasdorp, Cape Town, Khayelitsha Mitchells Plain, Oudtshoorn, Paarl, Parow, Plattenberg Bay, Thembalethu, Worcester, Wynberg |
12 |
TOTAL |
80 |
However, this list is not cast and stone as the caseload of sex crimes in a particular court is often unpredictable.
b) What progress has been made in respect of the establishment of each of the specified courts?
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