Africa-Press – South-Africa. It’s 09:00 on Wednesday, and court orderlies are shouting out the names of people expected to appear in the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s Court.
In an unusual scenario, the orderlies, who are dressed in blue SAPS uniforms, stand at the corner of Wolmarans and Peter Mokaba Streets. In their arms, they carry lists of all those expected to appear in court.
Outside the building, people gather to wait for their names to be called ahead of appearances for criminal matters and child maintenance hearings.
Once their names are called, they follow the orderlies and then stand in groups to wait for their postponement dates.
The court building has been inaccessible after parts of the roof collapsed on Monday afternoon.
“The collapsed roof affected the cash hall, and the offices used by officials who deal with child maintenance, and the civil court clerk. No casualties were recorded as the incident occurred after hours,” the justice department said.
News24 spoke to some of the people who had been inconvenienced.
Steven Mahery was there for a child maintenance hearing.
“I am currently preparing for my final examination. I never thought that today would be spoilt. I would have attended to other matters at home. Today was wasted.
“I am not going to set my foot inside this building. It is not safe. The court management should arrange a local hall for all our matters to be heard,” Mahery said.
Brian Sibanda arrived with family members – and was hoping his cousin would be granted bail.
His cousin, who is currently in prison, was expected to appear for a bail hearing on Wednesday.
However, his cousin was not brought to court.
“I am disappointed. I was hoping that he was going to be released. The (partial) collapse of this building is affecting many lives, including our relatives who are in prison,” Sibanda said.
Anger
Selina Ngezi said he was angry.
“I have spent money to come to court. My son is in prison. I am not happy at all. My son was expected to appear today. He has been in prison for three weeks. I was hoping that I would go home with him today.
“He was expected to appear for his bail hearing on Wednesday. This building has long been showing signs of defects. The collapse could have been prevented if this building had been regularly inspected.
“Two weeks ago, I saw cracks in the wall inside the court building. I told a lady next to me that the building was on the verge of collapse. This building is old. It must be regularly inspected to prevent a tragedy,” Ngezi said.
Ngezi even remembered that the court hearings of the former AWB leader, Eugene Terre’Blanche, had been held in the same building in the 1990s.
She claimed the building had been standing long before Terre’Blanche’s court appearances.
Bongani Ndlovu was supposed to make his second appearance in court on Wednesday.
He is out on R1 000 bail after being arrested for assault.
“I thought my case was going to be withdrawn or finalised today. This court case is delaying my life. I have other businesses at home that I must attend to. Because the building has (partially) collapsed, my matter will drag on for a long time.
“I want to see it concluded. I want to go and continue with my business,” Ndlovu said.
Papi Seitholo was expecting that his attempted murder charge was going to be finalised.
“I was hoping this case was going to be finalised today. I have been standing trial since 2019. I was told during my last appearance that the verdict would be delivered today. Now, I will spend a month at home waiting for judgment.
“Our government officials don’t take their jobs serious. This collapse is affecting us. There is no way our cases will be heard on a lawn. Government must make a plan quickly.
“I feel for those who are in prison awaiting trial and bail. Their stay inside (jail) is going to be longer. They will have to wait for an alternative court building before they know their fate,” Seitholo said.
The public works department said it was assessing the extent of the damage and would then guide the justice department, which has to decide when the building can be reopened.
It apologised for the inconvenience.
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