South Africa explores digital platforms for enhanced access to justice
A moment from the Second International Conference on Justice, where global collaboration is key to addressing systemic challenges in the judiciary. Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi (second from left) says the conference is about learning and sharing experiences.
Image: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development/ Facebook
South Africa is seeking insights into the use of digital platforms for improving access to justice. This exploration is taking place at the Second International Conference on Justice, held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi is leading a South African delegation for the conference, which is scheduled for November 23 to 24.
The conference has brought together judicial experts, specialists, and researchers from around the world to deliberate on the theme “Judicial Quality”. The conference is designed to achieve several key objectives: promoting global collaboration and knowledge sharing in judicial quality, improving human resource efficiency and capacity within the justice sector, and confronting systemic challenges by identifying effective, sustainable solutions.
“One of the most significant parts of participating here is learning and sharing experiences,” Kubayi said.
She said there are various experts from about 40 countries participating in the conference.
“Most significant for us as South Africa is to learn how digital platforms are being used for access to justice. The fact that people can just go into an app and lodge a court application, which is far-fetched for us in terms of that,” Kubayi said, highlighting information sharing.
She noted that it is good to learn that many countries still battle with judicial independence and judicial accountability.
“That is critical where we are as South Africa, looking at the issue of a single judiciary and an independent judiciary and where they are responsible for the administration and financial independence,” Kubayi said.
Minister Kubayi and her Turkish counterpart, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç (sitting across from each other), meet to strengthen bilateral relations on mutual legal assistance.
Image: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development/ Facebook
Kubayi said being at the conference is important, significant and progressive in several areas.
“South Africa has a lot that it has done. I mean, when you hear about others that are still battling to allow media into the court places where we are already doing that, only for others who are talking about allowing them, only for judgments. With us, we can be able to run openly, a trial,” Kubayi said.
“There are quite a lot of things that we’re sharing with various counterparts, but also even on a bilateral level that we are engaging to enhance our mutual legal assistance where we do not have those arguments in place.”
Kubayi reiterated that it is progressive and eye-opening.
On the sidelines of the conference, Kubayi and her Turkish counterpart, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, held a bilateral meeting to strengthen relations between the two countries on mutual legal assistance frameworks.
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za