Over the past three years, severe storms have left a trail of destruction across South African courts, with 40 facilities in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape bearing the brunt of the damage.
Durban — Forty courts were damaged in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape following storms over the past three years. KZN had the most damaged courts with 26, followed by the Western Cape with 14.
This was revealed after the Democratic Alliance’s Kabelo Kgobisa-Ngcaba asked Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Thembi Simelane about the damage to court infrastructure in South Africa over the past three years.
Kgobisa-Ngcaba asked Simelane if an assessment has been done of the damages to court infrastructure around the country and what is the quantum of the damages for each year.
KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape experienced adverse weather conditions and events across the country, including the storms and floods over the past three years. Flooding left hundreds of people dead, injured and homeless. Infrastructure such as homes, private and state-owned buildings, roads and bridges were also damaged.
Kgobisa-Ngcaba also asked whether any programmes were in place to quickly and efficiently repair the damage and what the programmes were.
She also asked the minister whether she was taking any steps to mitigate the future risk of weather-related damage to the courts in a timeous and cost-effective manner.
KwaZulu-Natal
Minister Simelane said the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) conducted assessments on 26 courts affected by the storm within the province to determine the extent of the damage.
“Out of 26 courts, 24 courts required minor repairs on roof leaks and damaged ceilings. The other two courts will be repaired under the repair and refurbishment programme,” Simelane said.
Explaining, she said there are programmes which address issues of maintenance and minor repairs. These programmes are as follows: Day-to-Day Maintenance and the Minor Capital Works programmes. Other damaged courts will be addressed under the Repair and refurbishment programme.
“The 24 courts that were damaged, (and) were repaired under the Day-to-Day Maintenance and Minor Capital Works programmes cost the department R6 012 600. The estimate to repair the additional 2 courts is R8 000 000,” Simelane said.
“The repairs to 24 damaged courts took a period of 3 months to repair.”
Western Cape
In the Western Cape front, Simelane said assessments were affected by the storm within the Western Cape Province to determine the extent of the damage.
“Fourteen courts were affected by the heavy rains and storms that occurred in July 2024. Roof tiles that were blown off, leaking roofs, water damaged and collapsed ceilings, damaged rainwater goods, wall paint peeling off, damaged floor covering and tripping electricity,” Simelane said.
“The 14 courts that were damaged by the storm will be repaired under the Minor Capital Works programme.
“The estimated cost to repair the courts is R5 000 000.”
Simelane said the courts will need eight months to repair.
For both provinces, Simelane said the preventive methods that are put in place are to ensure gutters, downpipes and drains are cleaned biannually to mitigate storm damage.
Meanwhile, in July this year, sister publication Sunday Tribune reported that a recent inquiry into the functionality of the 12-storey Durban Magistrate’s building on the corner of Somtseu Road and Stalwart Simelane Street, which is frequented by more than 4 000 people daily, revealed it is a death trap waiting to ignite.
The inquiry revealed numerous defects and health hazards at the site, including the fire department condemning the building on January 23, 2023, and instructing it to be shut because the sprinkler system and water pressure valves did not work.
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