Parliament divided as Justice Department tables R25.4bn budget

By Thapelo Molefe

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has presented a R25.4 billion budget to address deep-rooted challenges in the justice system. 

While the African National Congress (ANC) and government highlighted progress on state capture cases, gender-based violence and corruption recovery, opposition parties rejected the budget as inadequate and a firewall against accountability.

Kubayi told the National Assembly that the department faced a shortfall of R1 billion annually over the medium term. 

“The fiscal environment demands of us to do more with less and to be prudent in our spending,” she said. 

The department will focus on expanding access to justice, transforming the legal profession, overhauling dysfunctional offices and intensifying the fight against gender-based violence (GBV), fraud and corruption.

She said the turnaround of the Master’s Offices and the State Attorney was a priority. 

“The Office of the State Attorney has been experiencing significant operational challenges due to