Senior members of the judiciary were present on Tuesday when Minister of Justice Brigitte Mabandla officially opened the Equality court in the Cape High court.
”It is my hope that this Equality court will be successful in further eradicating the legacy of inequality and at the same time enhance our ability to bring justice closer to an increasing mass of our people,” said Mabandla.
She said South Africa was a land of stark contrasts, and one of the major contrasts was between different racial groups.
Mabandla acknowledged that the inherited challenges of discrimination and prejudice were still with South Africans today and that it needed to be ”completely overcome”.
In this context, Equality courts, that dealt with issues such as hate speech, racism, unfair discrimination and other forms of injustices, formed a pivotal arena on the part of government to restore the dignity of the citizenry.
”Equality courts provide a forum for all South Africans, especially the poor and marginalised, to assert their constitutional rights and to seek redress for any violation of the right to equality.”
Mabandla, who was on her way to Khayelitsha to open an equality court there, said more than 200 courts had been established across the country, with the aim of having similar courts in each magisterial district.
Earlier, the Judge President of the Cape Division, John Hlophe, said the formal launch of the courts in the Western Cape will make a difference in a region riven by racial tension.
”The Western Cape is one of the provinces still lagging behind in terms of race relations,” he said.
Hlophe, who lifted the lid on alleged racism on the Cape bench, said the problem of racism was ”very serious” when compared to other provinces.
Hlophe said it was his hope that equality would become ”genuine and meaningful” in the Western Cape.
Cape Town mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo said the task ahead for South Africa was not only to build the country, but ensure that ”your children and my children live peacefully for a long time”.
Mfeketo cautioned everybody present to educate their offspring within a nurturing family unit, and refrain from talking about ”kaffir mayors or hotnot whatever” around dinner tables and family gatherings.
She said the barometer of success of Equality courts in the Western Cape should not be how many cases were heard. It should rather be the extent to which cases became fewer as awareness was created for people of their rights and responsibilities. – Sapa