Iron Will Needed to Revive Municipal Courts in Ekurhuleni

The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) will keep a close eye on the implementation of the Ekurhuleni Metro Council’s decision to approve the establishment of fully functional municipal courts in the Metro to ensure that it is not just an empty promise.

This follows the Council’s adoption of a report by the Oversight Committee on Corporate and Shared Services that assessed the need for, and feasibility of, establishing municipal courts in Ekurhuleni.

Ekurhuleni currently relies on magistrates’ courts to adjudicate municipal matters, consequently, these cases are often pushed to the back burner as more serious criminal matters naturally take preference.

Municipal courts will provide dedicated capacity to handle matters such as contraventions of municipal by-laws, traffic offences, building control and other municipal offences, so that these cases can be finalised more efficiently.

The Freedom Front Plus, however, identified serious flaws in the report that need to be rectified before municipal courts can realise in Ekurhuleni.

Significant human resource shortages present a major challenge, while the existing organogram is incomplete. For example, no provision has been made for court interpreters or court orderlies.

Five of the Council’s premises, tentatively earmarked for serving as court venues, require extensive upgrades, while the Benoni Traffic Court building is not available to be used as a municipal court.

The Freedom Front Plus also pointed out that funding falls short seeing as no funds were initially allocated in the 2026/27 budget, even though the Metro was already engaged in planning.

Ekurhuleni residents should vote for the Freedom Front Plus on 4 November 2026, thus enabling the party to become a governing partner that will ensure accountability and compliance with this initiative adopted by the Council.

FF+ Manifesto on Safe communities: Implementing strategies to combat crime and improve safety.

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