A damning investigation by the Southern Africa Accountability Journalism Project has uncovered widespread allegations of corruption at the Mthatha High Court, where officials are accused of soliciting bribes from lawyers to perform routine administrative duties.
Bribery for Basic Court Functions
According to journalist Ray Hartley, who co-authored the investigation, court officials allegedly demanded payments ranging from R2,000 to R15,000 to carry out standard tasks such as:
-
Updating case files
-
Scheduling court dates
-
Typing and issuing judgments
-
Allocating legal costs
Hartley revealed that some attorneys were even told files had “gone missing,” only for them to “reappear” after a bribe was paid. The practice, described as an “open secret,” reportedly spans two decades, with recent incidents occurring as recently as a week before interviews were conducted.
Law Firms Under Scrutiny
The investigation found that certain law firms appeared to receive preferential treatment, securing multiple court dates in quick succession. While Hartley cautioned against assuming all such firms engaged in bribery, he emphasized that those with unusually high case volumes should be questioned.
Officials and Authorities Remain Silent
An anonymous letter sent to Eastern Cape High Court leadership in December 2023 named nine officials allegedly involved. When approached for comment:
-
Only one responded, stating they were instructed not to engage.
-
Another initially denied involvement but failed to provide promised evidence.
-
The Office of the Chief Justice issued a vague response, claiming to take corruption “seriously” but showing no concrete action five months later.
Impact on Justice and Democracy
Hartley warned that the corruption undermines not only individual litigants—particularly the poor—but also the integrity of South Africa’s judicial system. “If courts don’t operate ethically, we risk losing a cornerstone of democracy,” he said.
Calls for Accountability
With the Department of Justice and Minister Ronald Lamola yet to respond robustly, pressure is mounting for an independent probe. Hartley urged media and civil society to demand answers, stressing that “silence from authorities is unacceptable.”
The full investigation is available via the Southern Africa Accountability Journalism Project.
