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The province relied on circuit courts and while there is a criminal court in Mbombela, it is supported by two circuit courts, in Graskop and Barberton. The Barberton circuit court, which is 42km from Mbombela is, however, closed due to a shortage of judges.
Middelburg had a criminal court and circuit courts in Delmas and Brayton but due to judge shortages, the two circuits had to share a judge.
“The circuit court in KwaMhlanga has been closed. There is a building structure to have it reopened, but it remains closed for now. It is 130km from the main centre in Middelburg.”
He said he had an LLB degree and a cum laude LLM degree in international law, plus two IT degrees which have come in useful when training judges and magistrates on conducting research.
“We talked about the judicial training for the staff and [judge president Mphahlele] put me up as the chair of the judicial training committee. Not only for staff training but for peer training. In doing so, she was recognising many of the positions I have had in the past. I was also the editor-in-chief of The Judicial Education Newsletter spearheaded by SAJEI (SA Judicial Education Institute).”
Ratshibvumo is also chair of the library committee where he said he noticed a “serious” shortage of books. However, due to implementing his proposals as acting deputy judge president and his IT knowledge, he was able to provide electronic books which were accessible to all judges.