Strict measures for court attendees

CHIEF Justice Luke Malaba yesterday announced strict conditions for court attendees in a statement where he relaxed some of the measures that he put in place in January to ensure that the country's courts adhered to national COVID-19 regulations.

Justice Malaba said the number of court attendees will remain limited to litigants, their lawyers and selected journalists.

"All persons who attend court shall at all times be subjected to temperature checks, be required to sanitise their hands at entry into court premises, wear face masks in the manner prescribed by law, avoid person-to-person contact, and maintain social distancing as prescribed by law," he said.

"Any person who does not comply with the requirements specified in paragraph 10 shall not be allowed entry into court premises, courthouse, and courtroom or shall be asked to leave the court premises or courtroom or courthouse."

He added: "Entry into court premises or courthouses shall strictly not be permitted to members of the public who have no business at court.

"Normal court operations, including the offices of the Master and the Sheriff of the high court, shall resume with effect from March 2, 2021. The hours during which Registries shall be open for litigants, legal practitioners and the public shall be in terms of the applicable court rules.

"The filing and processing of new cases, process, documents, pleadings, papers and court orders, including service and execution by the Sheriff and the Messenger of court, shall be done in terms of the applicable court rules, legislation or court order.

"For the avoidance of doubt, accused persons originally remanded between January 5, 2021 and March 1, 2021, remain automatically remanded to the dates stated in Practice Direction 4 of 2021."

Justice Malaba also said solemnisation of marriages shall be conducted, provided that only the parties to the marriage and their witnesses shall be allowed to attend.