New municipal court opens in Mitchells Plain
Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille officially opened the new Mitchells Plain Municipal Court today, 4 May 2018. The court has been built next to the subcouncil office, allowing for residents to conduct all their City business in one vicinity, which is also in the same precinct as the local library.
Previously the Mitchells Plain Municipal Court operated from the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court.
Creation of dedicated municipal courts
De Lille said, "The need for a dedicated building focusing only on municipal court matters was identified in order to streamline the process and enhance service delivery at the court.
"Since entering into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the office of the Department of Justice, the Director of Public Prosecutions and other stakeholders, the first municipal court was established in April 2000, known as the City Hall Municipal Court.
"From then, the City has established municipal courts in all 11 magisterial districts within the boundaries of the City of Cape Town."
Mitchells Plain Municipal Court
Construction on the R4,7 million Mitchells Plain Municipal Court commenced in July 2017 and was completed at the end of March 2018. The court is considered a "one-stop shop" with the court room, magistrate’s office, Prosecutor’s office, the administration/back office, enquiries and the cashier cubicles all in a better and more controlled proximity, compared to the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court.
De Lille said that between June 2016 and July 2017, more than 24,500 traffic cases were enrolled. With more space in the new building and a streamlined process, the staff will be able to work and serve residents more effectively.
"As a stand-alone building, it is also more accessible to our community as it is within walking distance from the train station and MyCiTi bus station," said De Lille.
"Residents coming to pay their fines or attend to cases on by-law related matters also no longer have to be exposed to hardened criminals as was the case at the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court.
"This is indeed in keeping with the City’s commitments in our Organisational Development and Transformation Plan to be a more customer-centric organisation," De Lille concluded.
