Mbabane: Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki Maphahal has announced that His Majesty King Mswati III has appointed four (4) judges.
Making the announcement Maphahala said one judge is appointed to the high court and the other judges are appointed to the Industrial court, however, he stated that there was a need for more appointments to speed up the cases which are pending in the courts.
The appointed judges are Justice Mazwi Mavso, appointed for the high court. Those who are appointed for the Industrial court include Judge Laurain Hlophe, Judge Dumsile Dlamini, and Judge Manene Thwala.
Maphaalala congratulated the judges on their appointments and wished them well in their careers.
“I would like to congratulate the judges which will be sworn in today.”
Maphalala stated that the appointment of the judges will contribute positively to the reduction of the backlog of the cases in the High Court and the Industrial Court in the country.
He said the High Cout, Industrial Court, as well as Magistrate Court receive high volumes of cases on a daily basis. He said it was against this background that they have requested the government to approve more judicial posts for both judges and the magistrates in order to meet the demands.
Maphahlala stated that they have already made requests from the government to increase more judicial posts.
Maphalala, also highlighted that there has been the establishment of the commercial court. He stated that what remains now was the installation of the furniture and electronic equipment
He said they have already requested three (3) posts for judges for the commercial courts. “We need more magistrates to meet the demands of the country,” he said.
He said currently the country has around twelve (12) judges in the high court, yet the country needs about 20 judges. Maphalala said in order for the courts to speed up cases there is a huge need for more judicial posts.
Maphalala said the country is dealing with a lot of cases and the judges are not enough. “We have twelve (12) judges, yet we need twenty (20) to work.
Commercial court
Maphalala also added that the country’s judiciary has worked hard in ensuring the establishment of a commercial court.
“We have secured premises, and we have finalized the partitioning of the premises. On the premises we have chambers of the judges, we have offices for the support staff, and we have a big courtroom that will be utilized as the commercial court.”
“What remains now is the installation of the recording equipment as well as the required furniture.”
Maphalal stated that they have already requested from the government to be given three (3) judicial posts for judges who will preside over the commercial court.
Maphalala added that there has been an outcry over the years room the world bank and other stakeholders that Eswatini lacks a commercial court.
Maphalala said it was against this background that the country was establishing a commercial court in order to meet international standards and demands.
Maphahlala stated that the country has got 25 magistrates, which are not and that is not sufficient, “we need more magistrates he said for the thousands of cases that are pending before the magistrates’ courts”, he said.
“We have already asked the government to give us more posts for the magistrates and we have also asked the government to give us posts for the high courts, we still need more posts at the high courts, Currently we hare having 12 posts fr judges in the high courts, and that is not enough, we need at least about 20 posts for judges in the high court,” he said.
We have about 4 posts for judges at the industrial courts and again that is not sufficient, we have asked for 5 more posts for the industrial courts in order to speed up the backlog of cases at the industrial courts.
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