View Document - Parliament of South Africa

921 WEDNESDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 2008
922
QUESTIONS
For written reply:
Access to Justice Week
1464. Mr L K JOUBERT (DA) asked the
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development:
(1) (a) How many people were assisted
by her department during the Access
to Justice Week from 18 to 23 August
2008 and (b) what was the total cost
to the state for this project;
(2) whether this project will be repeated;
if not, why not; if so, what amount
has been budgeted for this project?
NW2205E
The MINISTER FOR JUSTICE AND CON-
STITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
(1) (a) I would like to advise the hon
member that a large number of
people interacted with my department’s
officials during the ‘‘Access
to Justice Week’’, seeking
advice and clarity on especially
family related matters. It is difficult
to be precise on the number as
statistics were not kept.
During the Access to Justice
Week, all SAWLA members and
the DoJ&CD employees from the
Masters Office, Family Advocate,
State Law Advisers, Regional Office,
Courts, National Prosecution
Authority including the Legal Aid
Board set up advice desks at their
place of employment or in the
community halls in order to offer
advice to communities far and
wide. The advice desks were
aimed at covering family related
matters with emphasis on the following:
● Marriage
● Customary marriage
● Domestic partnerships
● Wills (preparing and printing
ordinary wills on the spot, for
complicated wills we will refer
the person to the LAB, law firms
and others)
● Succession and administration
of estates
● Domestic violence
● Child abuse
● Custody and access
● Guardianship and fostering
● Maintenance
● Credit
● Pension funds
However, in cases where advice
could not be provided on the spot
referrals were made to the relevant
institutions for further investigations.
But generally the clients’
enquiries had a similar thread in
that mostly centred on family
related matters.
(b) The total cost to the state for this
project has not been finalised yet.
(2) This project is in line with one of my
department’s key initiatives — of providing
‘‘access to justice’’ to all people.
The success of this project has highlighted
the further need for such events.
My department therefore hopes to repeat
this event next year. To date, no
budget has been allocated yet.
Judge serving on commission
1582. Mr L K JOUBERT (DA) asked the
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development:
(1) Whether a certain judge (name fur-