Cape Town - The Western Cape High Court was in disarray on Wednesday when cases had to be postponed after casual interpreters stayed at home because of outstanding money owed to them.
Some of the matters on the roll for today would also be affected after the interpreters said: “We don’t have money to come work and (have been) waiting for two weeks (for) outstanding money.
“That’s why we stayed at home yesterday, (and will) today and possibly Friday. We were told that the money was processed.
“The money will take about three days to be cleared in our accounts.
“Without money there is no way that we can come to work.”
According to the interpreters, they submitted claims on a weekly basis and just before the recess handed in their claims for three weeks of work.
They had been paid for only one week and were still waiting for two weeks of pay.
Wednesday, after waiting for nearly an hour for an interpreter to make his appearance in Court 5, Judge Monde Samela postponed the trial of Ameerudien Peters and Abigail Ruiters accused of the murder of 18-month-old Jeremiah Ruiters.
In Court 3, the matter of alleged Terrible Josters gang leader Horatio Solomons, alias Voudie, and 11 other gang members, who face 71 charges including, 11 murders, dealing in drugs, money laundering, illegal possession of firearms and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act was also postponed by Judge Owen Rogers.
Heads of arguments in the matter of Lwanda Sobekwa, accused of murdering Lumka Makasi, 2, on May 15, 2017, in Driftsands, Mfuleni, was also postponed by Judge Siraj Desai.
“We don’t have an interpreter. I was informed by the chief interpreter that several of the interpreters was not available. It is unfortunate that the matter was postponed.
“The reason is the dismal failure of the justice department for not paying employees.
“I was told by an employee at the office of the court manager that she was in a meeting and said that the interpreters would be paid by tomorrow. This means that the state has to bear the cost of the postponement,” Judge Desai said.
@TheCapeArgus