'There shoud be fair pay for magistrates who earn less than MPs and mayors'

THE salaries of magistrates' court presiding officers are so low that they are below those of members of parliament, amakhosi, and mayors, the Association of Regional Magistrates of Southern Africa (ARMSA) said.

- BONGANI HANS

ARMSA approached the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg division to force President Cyril Ramaphosa to implement the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Commission (IRC) that magistrates be paid according to their "Worship" status and the exhausting workload.

ARMSA also wanted the court to compel the president to fill the vacant positions in the IRC, which could not convene as it did not have a quorum since November last year.

However, the matter was moved from the court roll as Ramaphosa filed his responding papers only on Monday in response to ARMSA's application which was filed on July 17.

ARMSA president, Magistrate Ian Cox speaking outside court said they had given Ramaphosa's legal team the opportunity and the extension of time to file responding papers.

The association took exception to Ramaphosa “according to his affidavit, referring the matter (of salary adjustment) back to the IRC without informing us as litigators", said Cox.