Durban magistrates picket over poor pay and working conditions

More than 50 presiding officers from the Durban magisterial district used their lunchtime on Monday to picket over poor pay and work conditions.

Judicial Officers’ Association of South Africa member Sicelo Zuma, a magistrate at the Durban district court, said: “Our concerns have fallen on deaf ears. We have gone as far as trying to litigate the issues. However litigation has proved to be futile.”

So members had to rsolved to stage a peaceful picket, he said.

“Basically there is a long outstanding issue relating to our salaries.”

Zuma said remuneration reviews were held annually and reports were prepared and recommendations made to the president.

“Those recommendations never see the light of implementation. This is happening annually and we have tried to litigate, but such has not been successful. Our calls and cries have never been heeded.”

He said magistrates seemed to be a parallel structure of the judiciary and this was a far cry from the single judiciary prescribed for the country by the constitution.

There were huge disparities between the remuneration and benefits for judges and magistrates.

“The differences are too much and the gap is too much to bear. Meanwhile we are responsible for the bulk of the judiciary work.

“Statistics will show no one is really taking our concerns seriously. We don’t even have medical aids,” said Zuma.

He said they were also not getting housing and vehicle allowances.

“Powers that be need to attend to this issue because it is a dire issue. It’s something which we cannot let go. It has to be addressed.”

He said with Durban courts often seized with a long roll, there were instances where magistrates sometimes had to work on holidays to deal with the workload.

“We do courts even during holidays and Saturdays depending on the determinations made by the chief magistrate,” said Zuma.

He said they were discouraged that some sacrifices made by magistrates often went unnoticed.

Mondli Nhlangulela, who is also a member of the association, said magistrates were struggling financially.

“Once you pay for your house (and) car you are left with nothing. Some of my colleagues end up taking sick leave because they can’t come to work because of having no funds for fuel. Some among us end up hopping into taxis,” said Nhlangulela.

“We want medical aid, housing allowances and a petrol card and then we would be cushioned.

“We also are not supposed to have any side hustles or any other employment but focus on this work ... You cannot even afford university (fees) for your child,” said Nhlangulela.

He appealed to the government to address the situation.

Senior magistrate Dr Betty Rawheath, 70, who has 42 years’ experience in the judiciary, said: “We have been facing this challenge for the past 20 years. We have been discriminated against by the highest courts and the executive in this country.

“I am now 70 and have to leave but it is sad that I have to leave without seeing any changes.”

She said she had written a university thesis on how the lower courts were being discriminated against.

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