Traditional courts bill due out in January
Fears the Traditional Courts Bill gives traditional leaders too much power have dogged the process since 2009
The Department of Justice expects to make the latest version of the Traditional Courts Bill public in the third week of January, Deputy Justice Minister John Jeffery said on Monday. Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe announced in the last Cabinet briefing of the year that the Cabinet had approved the latest version of the bill after work by the department and a reference group. Extensive consultations had been held on the draft and the Cabinet was "fairly confident" that the bill addressed all the issues raised, he said. Since 2009 the bill has been rejected by provincial legislatures and interest groups out of fear that it gives too much power to traditional leaders in former homeland areas, undermines the legal rights of women in rural communities and creates a segregated judicial system for rural communities and other South Africans.
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