Courts fall silent as magistrates down tools over poor conditions
• The Office of the Judiciary convened an urgent meeting on Monday
Correctional officers tasked with transporting inmates warned they would return prisoners to custody if the court did not begin by early afternoon.
Rita KakeloWindhoek
Business at Namibia’s lower courts came to a near standstill yesterday as frustrated magistrates across the country engaged in a “go-slow” strike after repeated calls for better working conditions reportedly fell on deaf ears.
The protest marks one of the most serious disruptions to Namibia’s justice system since judicial independence.
It follows months of growing discontent within the magistracy over what they describe as poor remuneration, lack of promotion, safety concerns, and inadequate institutional support.
Under mounting pressure, the Office of the Judiciary convened an urgent meeting with the Magistrates’ Commission on Monday afternoon to address the dispute and the demands of the striking officers.
These include grievances widely echoed by members of the legal fraternity, among them lawyer Kadhila Amoomo, who described the strike as “a sad day for the judiciary” and acknowledged the complaints of low pay, overwhelming workloads, aggressive superiors, compromised safety and security, and perceived promotional favouritism.
Namibian Sun journalists across the country visited magistrates’ courts where they observed a near-total shutdown of operations.
Postponing cases
At the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court, only two regional magistrates appeared, solely to postpone cases.
Meanwhile, at Katutura, no matters were heard the entire day.
“Only two magistrates reported this morning, serving the regional court, while one other magistrate assisted in postponing matters,” a court clerk said.
“There’s definitely a shortage. We don’t know if they are at workshops, training, or if they have started striking, but it’s getting darker and darker for Namibians who deserve timely service. If they do not apply pressure, we will,” the clerk added.
In Ondangwa, the regional court began proceedings late in the afternoon, but all lower court matters remained frozen.
Correctional officers tasked with transporting inmates warned they would return prisoners to custody if the court did not begin by early afternoon.
At the Rundu Magistrate’s Court, only three of the usual five magistrates reported for duty, leading to multiple postponements.
The Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court confirmed it would not accept or attend to any submissions until the strike is resolved, saying that already scheduled cases would proceed only to be postponed.
The Office of the Judiciary has yet to issue a formal statement on the outcome of Monday’s meeting, but insiders indicated discussions will continue amid fears of a prolonged impasse that could paralyse the country’s lower court system.
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Business at Namibia’s lower courts came to a near standstill yesterday as frustrated magistrates across the country engaged in a “go-slow” strike after repeated calls for better working conditions reportedly fell on deaf ears.
The protest marks one of the most serious disruptions to Namibia’s justice system since judicial independence.
It follows months of growing discontent within the magistracy over what they describe as poor remuneration, lack of promotion, safety concerns, and inadequate institutional support.
Under mounting pressure, the Office of the Judiciary convened an urgent meeting with the Magistrates’ Commission on Monday afternoon to address the dispute and the demands of the striking officers.
These include grievances widely echoed by members of the legal fraternity, among them lawyer Kadhila Amoomo, who described the strike as “a sad day for the judiciary” and acknowledged the complaints of low pay, overwhelming workloads, aggressive superiors, compromised safety and security, and perceived promotional favouritism.
Namibian Sun journalists across the country visited magistrates’ courts where they observed a near-total shutdown of operations.
Postponing cases
At the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court, only two regional magistrates appeared, solely to postpone cases.
Meanwhile, at Katutura, no matters were heard the entire day.
“Only two magistrates reported this morning, serving the regional court, while one other magistrate assisted in postponing matters,” a court clerk said.
“There’s definitely a shortage. We don’t know if they are at workshops, training, or if they have started striking, but it’s getting darker and darker for Namibians who deserve timely service. If they do not apply pressure, we will,” the clerk added.
In Ondangwa, the regional court began proceedings late in the afternoon, but all lower court matters remained frozen.
Correctional officers tasked with transporting inmates warned they would return prisoners to custody if the court did not begin by early afternoon.
At the Rundu Magistrate’s Court, only three of the usual five magistrates reported for duty, leading to multiple postponements.
The Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court confirmed it would not accept or attend to any submissions until the strike is resolved, saying that already scheduled cases would proceed only to be postponed.
The Office of the Judiciary has yet to issue a formal statement on the outcome of Monday’s meeting, but insiders indicated discussions will continue amid fears of a prolonged impasse that could paralyse the country’s lower court system.
[email protected]
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