The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has formally referred the Department of Justice’s digitisation and off-site records storage project to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Hawks.
The decision follows an unannounced inspection at the Master of the High Court office in Pretoria on 12 August, sparked by public complaints regarding severe service disruptions.
During the visit, management and departmental officials informed Kubayi that service delivery had ground to a halt because information from the Veritas system was unavailable. This system issue directly hindered the processing of transactions and client queries.
Department denied access to its own records
The department initiated the off-site storage and digitisation project five years ago to address rising record volumes, limited physical storage space, inefficient retrieval processes, and the need for better preservation across service points. The initiative spanned high courts, magistrates’ courts, labour courts and masters’ offices across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
However, officials revealed that current disruptions are stemming from a private service provider denying the department access to its own records.
Expressing grave concern over the situation, Kubayi highlighted that a system intended to streamline operations had instead become the core cause of service delays. She emphasised the alarming nature of a situation in which of state records were being held by a private company capable of withholding public access.
“The disruption of services at an office that provides critical support to members of the public is a matter of grave concern,” stated Kubayi.
“I expect a thorough account of what transpired with the digitisation project. Any evidence of misconduct, negligence, corruption or deliberate actions that undermine service delivery and public confidence in the justice system will be dealt with decisively. Those responsible must be held accountable and face the full consequences of the law.”
SIU and Hawks tasked with investigation
Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to investigate the situation. The SIU and the Hawks will specifically probe the nature of the contract that granted a private entity sole possession and unfettered control over departmental records; potential breaches of government legislation and policies during the project’s implementation; and also whether the value of the contracts aligns with the actual services delivered. Whether negligence by departmental officials contributed to the breakdown of critical public services, is another question that has surfaced.
Kubayi issued a sincere apology to members of the public unable to finalise estates, receive Mojapay payments, or access other essential services through the master’s office.
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is currently assessing the situation to implement measures aimed at restoring normal operations as quickly as possible.
