A report by the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) has revealed a backlog of 1 657 outstanding reserved judgments in South Africa’s higher courts, prompting the Democratic Alliance to launch an investigation into the delays.

The OCJ released the report on outstanding reserved judgments on 20 March, three days after the DA raised concerns about the delay in its publication.

The report shows that more than 302 reserved judgments have been outstanding for more than six months. A judgment is reserved when a judge does not make a decision immediately after a trial is concluded.

Judicial standards dictate that no judgment should be reserved for longer than three months unless exceptional circumstances exist.

Following the release of the report, DA spokesperson on justice and constitutional development Adv. Glynnis Breytenbach announced the party will use parliamentary processes to investigate the reasons for the backlog.

“This backlog presents a significant barrier to access to justice for South Africans and erodes public confidence in our legal system,” Breytenbach said in a statement today.

She said the DA will submit parliamentary questions and, if appropriate, call the OCJ to account before the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development.

The party said delays in the administration of justice affect both criminal cases and business disputes, impacting economic growth and job creation.

“Businesses must be able to have disputes resolved by a court. This leads to legal certainty, increased trust in the economy, economic growth and ultimately job creation,” Breytenbach said.

Under the Government of National Unity (GNU), the OCJ has received a larger budget and increased operational independence.

Breytenbach said the DA’s investigation aims to identify not only the reasons for the backlog but to find solutions to the problem.