A new municipal court is under construction and will open its doors in Melkbos Street in Lentegeur in January next year.
According to the City of Cape Town, construction, which started earlier this year, is scheduled to be completed during December.
Raelene Arendse, mayoral committee member for corporate services, said the current court was situated in the Mitchell’s Plain’s Magistrate’s Court building.
“In 2015 the Department of Justice informed the City that they needed the space.
“This prompted the City to look at alternative premises to build a municipal court for Mitchell’s Plain and the surrounding area,” she said.
The municipal court services include hearing traffic cases as well as cases relating to national legislations such as the National Building Regulations, health legislation and compliance with the Business Act.
The court will also deal with local authority legislation and by-laws.
“It should be noted that the court will also be dealing with the prosecution of water use transgressors in terms of the Water By-law,” she said.
Sheval Arendse, chairperson for Sub-council 12 and ward councillor for Ward 82, which includes , Tafelsig (west of Waboomberg Close, Pappagaaiberg Close, Baviaanskloof Street, Bokkeveld Avenue, Olifantshoek Street, Waaihoek Street, Tafelberg Street, Theronsberg Street, Langeberg Avenue, Piketberg Street, Keeromberg Street, Cedarberg Street, Huguenot) and the western part of Wolfgat Nature Reserve, said the Mitchell’s Plain Municipal Court had been in operation for more than 17 years. Mr Arendse said its jurisdiction covered areas such as, Tafelsig, Lentegeur, Eastridge, Rocklands, Strandfontein, Westridge, Beacon Valley, Woodlands, and Weltevreden Valley.
“The court was dealing with matters such as contraventions of the National Building Regulations such as unauthorised building works, as well as municipal by-law offences such as illegal dumping, public nuisance, graffiti and informal trading,” he said.
Mr Arendse said the new court was designed to be much more customer-centric and customer-friendly and would be easily accessible to the community.
