R4m for judges irks magistrates

2003-06-16 22:36

Philip de Bruin

Johannesburg - Justice Minister Penuell Maduna approved R4m for security at the private dwellings of Kwazulu-Natal judges at the weekend, much to the chagrin of magristrates.

"It's absolutely incomprehensible," complained Adriaan Bekker, president of the Association of Regional Magistrates of South Africa (Armsa). "For two years regional magistrates have been begging for money to be able to make their homes secure. "Which members of the bench were subjected to attacks in the past two years? Regional magistrates, that's who. They're the ones who died."

"Does the department regard judges as superior beings? The R4m given to judges in Kwazulu-Natal comes to about R150 000 per house, for there are 36 judges."

"What's more, the department recently budgeted R3.3m for safeguarding 32 judges in the Western Cape. As regional magistrates we're not asking for R150 000 a house. "We'd be happy with half that amount because we realise that as citizens of this country we must do our bit to ensure our own safety. But we've been given absolutely nothing."

- Beeld