GEORGE NEWS - The persistent shortage of court interpreters in South Africa is severely affecting the administration of justice, and George is no exception.

Reports from local court officials and interpreters reveal a troubling picture of delays, financial difficulties and possible mismanagement within the system.

Apart from the delays they cause in court, delayed payments to interpreters have dire consequences.

A local interpreter, unable to report for duty, cited the non-payment of outstanding money dating back to September 2024 as the reason for his absence. 

He said the delayed payments have resulted in him being unable to consistently pay his rent on time, which has now placed him at risk of eviction. 

"The prolonged delay in payment has put me under severe financial strain, making it impossible to earn a living. I will only be able to resume my duties once I have received all outstanding payments," he said.

This financial uncertainty has forced many interpreters to withdraw their services, exacerbating an already critical shortage.

The problem goes beyond local interpreters - foreign language interpreters, who play a crucial role in cases involving foreign nationals, are also refusing to work due to delayed and inconsistent payments.

A local prosecutor says the issue concerns foreign language interpreters specifically. 

"They no longer want to assist the Department of Justice. They claim that payments are delayed, sometimes incorrect or insufficient, which makes them reluctant to continue. This leads to case delays," the prosecutor said.

Concerns over interpreter management

Besides payment issues, concerns have been raised about how court interpreters are managed. It is said some senior interpreters are assigned 'light duties', leaving those in the courtrooms overburdened.

"The interpreters who are in court are so overwhelmed that they frequently take sick leave. Management often resorts to using casual interpreters who are willing to work, but even they are not being paid on time," a source explained.

Department claims issues resolved

When asked whether the interpreter shortage has been addressed, the Department of Justice said the situation had been stabilised. It stated that the interpreters are now registered on Persal, the state's personnel and salary administration system, and are booked through a central reservation system.

"These measures are in place to minimise irregularities. We currently have 54 foreign language interpreters registered in our database, covering various languages. We also receive support from embassies and neighbouring provinces," the department said.

They said ongoing training is provided to ensure proper submission of claims and that court management is responsible for timely bookings and regular communication with interpreters.

Delays persist despite Persal

However, according to one of the interpreters, the Persal system has worsened delays.

"Once we complete and submit our attendance reports to the principal interpreter, they must first be processed by the regional office in Cape Town. Copies of all court records detailing the dates we worked must also be sent there. They should give us a standard salary and allocate us to specific courts for the month," he suggested.

He said the last time he attended court was about four weeks ago, yet the last payment he received was in December - for work done earlier in 2024. He has yet to be paid for any work completed this year.

"Our payments are a big surprise. You never know when to expect them - it could be a week, a month, or even longer."

A media enquiry regarding the above was sent to the Office of the Chief Justice. By the time of going to press, no feedback was received. Any response from the office will be added to the online version of this article.

A media enquiry was also sent to the National Prosecuting Authority's spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, who referred George Herald to the department.

AfriForum calls out department over interpreter shortage

Civil rights organisation AfriForum has taken formal steps to address what it calls a growing crisis in South Africa's justice system - a shortage of court interpreters, particularly in cases involving foreign nationals.

On Wednesday 2 April, the group submitted a request in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia), aimed at the Department of Justice.

This move follows numerous reports of court cases being delayed or even struck from the roll due to the unavailability of interpreters - a situation that, according to AfriForum, is causing serious disruptions and undermining the fairness of legal proceedings.

This is not a crisis confined to other parts of the country or so-called 'big' courts. Right here in the George and Thembalethu courts, George Herald has attended several court proceedings this year and last, when cases had to be remanded simply because no interpreter had been available. This is not an out-of-sight, out-of-mind issue - it's a local problem with real consequences for justice and community safety.

Many examples can be given in which foreign nationals have been in custody for years due to the absence of qualified interpreters. 

One such example comes from the Western Cape, where four Malawian nationals have been in custody since October 2023 on charges including housebreaking and possession of stolen goods. 

However, due to the absence of qualified interpreters, the case has been postponed about 14 times, and the proceedings have yet to reach the plea stage. 

The accused remain behind bars, partly because of their undocumented status, while justice for the victims remains out of reach.

AfriForum claims that the core issue lies with the Department of Justice's alleged failure to pay court interpreters. 

This, it argues, has led to a sharp decline in both the availability and willingness of interpreters to assist in legal proceedings - a problem that affects not only the accused, but also victims, witnesses and the broader legal process.

"It is unacceptable for criminals to walk free simply because the Department of Justice is failing to pay interpreters," said Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum's chief spokesperson for community safety.

Through its Paia request, AfriForum is seeking detailed information about the state of interpreter services in the country's courts, current policies around interpreter payments, and what steps are being taken to address the ongoing crisis.

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