Team News and Updates

The Sekhukhune Domestic Violence Court has set a goal to reduce the turnaround time for finalising domestic violence cases from 90 days to 8 weeks. Since August 9, 73 out of 188 cases have been finalised, with an average finalisation time of less than 28 days.

This progress so far was made possible by the court’s decision to stop using a diary and instead squeeze in cases on earlier dates, as well as establishing a good relationship with the SAPS to serve documents, and taking advantage of amendments in domestic violence legislation.

However, there are still challenges to overcome. Around 25 cases have been postponed due to the SAPS not being able to locate and serve respondents. To address this issue, the Sekhukhune DV Team was scheduled to meet with Station Commanders on October 5, 2023, to establish the challenges and assist in establishing a Community Policing Forum. Unfortunately, this meeting has been postponed to a later date, however has been flagged as a priority.

Overall, the Sekhukhune Domestic Violence Court has made significant progress in reducing the turnaround time for domestic violence cases. By implementing new strategies and working closely with the SAPS, they have been able to finalise cases in less than 28 days on average. With the challenges still remaining, particularly in serving respondents, a new Community Policing Forum is envisioned which will improve communication and contact with respondents in the community.