Vows on ice: Nuptials put on hold amid magistrates’ strike
Five marriage ceremonies scheduled for the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday could not take place, as the nationwide magistrates’ go-slow strike entered its second day.
The besotted couples – all dressed in their wedding attire and ready to exchange vows – were left devastated when their weddings were postponed without notice, with no end in sight for the extraordinary strike by magistrates.
The industrial action, which began on Wednesday, has seen magistrates drastically scale down their productivity while still reporting for duty, paralysing a wide range of quasi-judicial functions and essential court authorisations.
According to information obtained by Namibian Sun, magistrates have collectively opted not to preside over matters such as search and arrest warrants, interim protection orders, marriages, liquor licences, confessions, register checks, admissions of guilt, estate administration, inquests and postmortems, as well as the swearing-in of councillors during elections.
Court operations across several divisions, including domestic violence, children’s court, civil and criminal cases, maintenance and traffic matters, have come to a sharp halt, with victim-related cases particularly affected, raising concerns over public safety and access to justice.
‘Trou ons of nie?’
At the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court, disappointed couples sat in quiet frustration, some nervously clutching flowers and rings, waiting in vain for their names to be called.
Monica Shikundi and her fiancé, David Trevor (not their real names), told Namibian Sun they had been waiting since 09:00, with no update from officials by late afternoon.
“This is unacceptable. Both my fiancé and I took days off work. We can’t get those back. Why couldn’t they tell us the ceremonies wouldn’t proceed?” Shikundi asked.
She added that relatives had travelled from out of town for the wedding, only to find themselves gathered for a celebration that would no longer take place.
“How do I tell people back home that things didn’t go as planned?” she asked.
A court clerk confirmed that five ceremonies were scheduled for the day, but by midday, none had been officiated.
‘The law on pause’
Meanwhile, at Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court, Rauha Udjombala said she had been waiting since Wednesday to finalise a traffic matter, but no magistrate was available to attend to her case.
A visibly irritated Udjombala was seen leaving the court grounds muttering: “They tell us to respect the law, but the law is now on pause. Now we must keep driving here to see if they’re working.”
Legal practitioners have warned that the refusal to issue warrants or process confessions risks stalling active investigations, potentially allowing suspects to slip through the cracks.
Families waiting for inquests and postmortem results are forced to wait until court resumes at its normal pace.
Mounting backlog
The strike stems from a long-running dispute between the Magistrates' Commission and government over working conditions and alleged failures to implement approved housing and vehicle allowance adjustments.
So far, the police and justice ministries have not released a contingency plan to manage the disruptions. Legal analysts caution that if the stand-off continues, the backlog could take months to clear.
Omusati regional commander Commissioner Ismael Basson said the effects of the strike extend far beyond the judiciary.
“If the issuing of liquor licences cannot be processed, businesses will not operate. Inquests will not be completed. The public will suffer the most,” he said.
“If criminal cases are not attended to, this will cause overcrowding in police cells, which are already full.”
Oshana regional commander Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria echoed similar concerns, warning that the suspension of court services poses a threat to justice and public order.
“If cases are at a standstill, that is justice denied,” he said. “As a regional commander, I am very worried, and I hope this is resolved quickly to prevent further delays and criminal activities.”
The besotted couples – all dressed in their wedding attire and ready to exchange vows – were left devastated when their weddings were postponed without notice, with no end in sight for the extraordinary strike by magistrates.
The industrial action, which began on Wednesday, has seen magistrates drastically scale down their productivity while still reporting for duty, paralysing a wide range of quasi-judicial functions and essential court authorisations.
According to information obtained by Namibian Sun, magistrates have collectively opted not to preside over matters such as search and arrest warrants, interim protection orders, marriages, liquor licences, confessions, register checks, admissions of guilt, estate administration, inquests and postmortems, as well as the swearing-in of councillors during elections.
Court operations across several divisions, including domestic violence, children’s court, civil and criminal cases, maintenance and traffic matters, have come to a sharp halt, with victim-related cases particularly affected, raising concerns over public safety and access to justice.
‘Trou ons of nie?’
At the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court, disappointed couples sat in quiet frustration, some nervously clutching flowers and rings, waiting in vain for their names to be called.
Monica Shikundi and her fiancé, David Trevor (not their real names), told Namibian Sun they had been waiting since 09:00, with no update from officials by late afternoon.
“This is unacceptable. Both my fiancé and I took days off work. We can’t get those back. Why couldn’t they tell us the ceremonies wouldn’t proceed?” Shikundi asked.
She added that relatives had travelled from out of town for the wedding, only to find themselves gathered for a celebration that would no longer take place.
“How do I tell people back home that things didn’t go as planned?” she asked.
A court clerk confirmed that five ceremonies were scheduled for the day, but by midday, none had been officiated.
‘The law on pause’
Meanwhile, at Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court, Rauha Udjombala said she had been waiting since Wednesday to finalise a traffic matter, but no magistrate was available to attend to her case.
A visibly irritated Udjombala was seen leaving the court grounds muttering: “They tell us to respect the law, but the law is now on pause. Now we must keep driving here to see if they’re working.”
Legal practitioners have warned that the refusal to issue warrants or process confessions risks stalling active investigations, potentially allowing suspects to slip through the cracks.
Families waiting for inquests and postmortem results are forced to wait until court resumes at its normal pace.
Mounting backlog
The strike stems from a long-running dispute between the Magistrates' Commission and government over working conditions and alleged failures to implement approved housing and vehicle allowance adjustments.
So far, the police and justice ministries have not released a contingency plan to manage the disruptions. Legal analysts caution that if the stand-off continues, the backlog could take months to clear.
Omusati regional commander Commissioner Ismael Basson said the effects of the strike extend far beyond the judiciary.
“If the issuing of liquor licences cannot be processed, businesses will not operate. Inquests will not be completed. The public will suffer the most,” he said.
“If criminal cases are not attended to, this will cause overcrowding in police cells, which are already full.”
Oshana regional commander Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria echoed similar concerns, warning that the suspension of court services poses a threat to justice and public order.
“If cases are at a standstill, that is justice denied,” he said. “As a regional commander, I am very worried, and I hope this is resolved quickly to prevent further delays and criminal activities.”
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