The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 30 April 2024 at 12:45pm. The seminar will be presented by Zikhona Ndlebe and Mbekezeli Benjamin.

About the Seminar:

New research on the magistrates courts: The Under Pressure - The Magistracy After COVID-19 and Isidima - Magistrates Court User Survey reports.

UCT's Democratic Governance and Rights Unit presents two new research reports presenting the experiences of the magistrates courts from two perspectives - the magistrates who preside over cases, and the users of the magistrates courts hoping to get justice. Under Pressure - The Magistracy After COVID-19 is based on a survey of 230 magistrates from across the country on their perceptions of their work environment in the courts. The survey looks at issues such caseloads, court infrastructure, stress levels, safety and security, perceptions of corruption, and the impact and after-effects of Covid-19. The report is the second iteration of the magistrate's perceptions survey that was first run in 2019.

Isidima - Magistrates Court User Survey Report, 2023 is based on a survey of court users at six courts in rural and urban districts across two provinces. The most surprising finding of the Isidima report is that 9 in 10 court users reported being treated with dignity and respect in the courts. Both reports present insights of people's experiences at the coalface of justice.

Speakers

Zikhona Ndlebe and Mbekezeli Benjamin are researchers at the DGRU, a research unit in the Public Law Department at UCT. Zikhona is an admitted attorney of the High Court and a labour law specialist. She holds LLB (UWC) and LLM (UCT) degrees, and has appeared as a legal practitioner before bargaining councils, the CCMA, and the Labour and Labour Appeal Courts. With an LLB from Wits.

Mbekezeli Benjamin is a human rights lawyer with a background in litigation and advocacy on the rights to housing, education and protest for activists. He has done cases at all levels of the court system, including the Constitutional Court and before United Nations forums.

As part of the Judges Matter project of the DGRU, both Zikhona and Mbekezeli have conducted research on the magistrates court and superior court judiciary in South Africa, including the appointment of judicial officers, the discipline for misconduct, the governance of the judiciary. They have done extensive advocacy on these issues before parliament, government, constitutional institutions and in the media.

 30 April 2024
 12:45 - 14:00 SAST
  CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa