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The Democratic Alliance (DA) strongly condemns the Justice Minister’s second consecutive absence from the Select Committee on Security and Justice, despite the gravity of the issues confronting South Africa’s magistrates and the urgent need for accountability.

This past Wednesday, 26 November 2025, the Committee was again forced to receive a presentation from the Deputy Minister, Andries Nel, after I formally objected to the Minister’s apology.

This is now a clear pattern of avoidance and a sign that Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi does not take the crisis facing magistrates seriously.

During the briefing, the Deputy Minister insisted that the Department of Justice “does not get involved in bargaining or salary negotiations,” attempting to shift full responsibility to the President and Parliament.

This is misleading.

The Department is a statutory participant in consultations with the Independent Remuneration Commission.

The Minister is required to engage with the recommendations, and the Executive delays have been central to the crisis.

Even more alarming was the intervention from ANC member, Hon Inkosi Nonkonyane, who insisted that the Department’s presentation “fully answered the concerns” raised by magistrates.

This is a fallacy.

The presentation did not provide:

Any timelines for implementing the remuneration review,

Any plan to address collapsing court buildings,

Any measures to improve magistrates’ safety,

Or any commitment from the Minister, who once again failed to appear.

Magistrates in Durban and across KZN protested because they are working in dangerous, collapsing courts, facing growing threats, and are still without clarity on remuneration that was supposed to be finalised over a year ago.

The presentation offered no solutions, only excuses and legislative summaries.

The DA will continue to fight for magistrates who deliver justice on the frontline. We will not allow the ANC to hide behind bureaucratic presentations while magistrates work in unsafe buildings, face daily threats, and wait endlessly for fair and timely remuneration.

Issued by Mzamo Billy MP - DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice