COURT WATCH 1/2025
21st January 2025
Chief Justice Announces Reforms to Enhance Justice Delivery
At the official opening of the 2025 Legal Year in Bulawayo, Chief Justice Luke Malaba announced a sweeping reform agenda for the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) aimed at transforming the justice delivery system. The reforms are designed to make the judiciary more inclusive and accessible, with a clear focus on boosting efficiency, increasing public confidence and improving access to justice for all citizens.
Presiding over the event, the Chief Justice emphasised the theme:
Building Public Confidence in the Judiciary through Multi-Stakeholder Participation.
He underscored the critical role of collaboration between various stakeholders in enhancing public trust in the justice system. His speech can be accessed on the Veritas website [link]
Key reforms he mentioned include:
·Establishment of the National Council on Administration of the Criminal Justice System, designed to expedite criminal trials and foster co-operation.
·Multi-stakeholder participation: The JSC intends to foster positive relationships among all stakeholders in the justice system. This collaborative approach includes the judiciary, State actors, private entities, and citizens, working together to promote constitutionalism and the rule of law.
·Decentralisation of courts: To bring justice closer to the people, the JSC plans to establish more court locations, including new High Court stations, resident magistrates court stations and periodic court stations. The Harare magisterial province will be split into Harare North and Harare South, and more regional, resident magistrate and circuit courts will be established.
·Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS): Initially introduced in superior courts, this system is now being extended to Magistrates Courts on a province-by-province basis starting with Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland North.
·Performance management system: A performance management system will be utilised to monitor the performance of courts and judicial officers, ensuring quicker case finalisation, timely judgements and a reduction in backlogs.
·Judicial Training Institute: The establishment of the Judicial Training Institute of Zimbabwe will provide comprehensive training for both judicial and non-judicial members of the Judicial Service. This will enhance the overall quality of justice delivered by the courts.
·Alternative dispute resolution (ADR): ADR mechanisms such as mediation, conciliation in civil cases, and plea bargaining in criminal cases will be adopted to improve efficiency. The Court Annexed ADR system will connect specialists in specific areas of law to the court system.
·Legal Aid Directorate: Efforts are underway to empower the Legal Aid Directorate to provide legal assistance more widely to those who cannot afford it, as mandated by the Legal Aid Act.
·Victim friendly court system: In collaboration with UNICEF, the JSC is working to create a victim-friendly court system. This includes training for judicial officers, prosecutors and police officers, along with providing the necessary equipment and support.
·Review of court rules: The JSC is also undertaking a review of court rules to make them more user-friendly.
·Addressing misconduct: The JSC is committed to addressing any misconduct by members of the Judicial Service, and will invoke necessary disciplinary proceedings when needed.
·Support for customary law courts: The JSC will be providing support to customary law courts, ensuring they operate efficiently and fairly, including training for chiefs on their judicial functions.