Pretoria - The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development will next week host a series of awareness campaigns under the Access to Justice Week canopy.
In partnership with the South African Women Lawyers Association and Legal AID South Africa, the department will run the awareness programme starting from Monday in all nine provinces.
During this week, identified courts in the North West, together with private attorneys, will offer free legal advice to needy members of the community, according to the department.
The North West Regional Office will go to all its six cluster courts to reach community members that are destitute, marginalised and vulnerable.
“This year, the plan is to expand reach to communities living in rural areas. The intention of the activities is to provide access to justice for all through decreasing the challenges brought by the cost of litigation, undue delays and excessive formalities within the legal process,” said North West Regional Office head Joseph Makutle.
The focus of advice given to the public will relate specifically to matters affecting women and children.
Topics to be covered will range from marriage, divorce, domestic partnerships, succession and administration of estates, domestic violence, child abuse/violence against children, gender-based violence, child custody and access, guardianship, fostering and maintenance.
Access to Justice Week was first launched in 2007 to respond to the society’s’ need of legal service assistance.
Since then, the programme has been turned into an annual event which sees legally qualified officials from the department, together with lawyers in private practice, who will provide free legal advice to the public or refer them to relevant institutions for further intervention and assistance. – SAnews.gov.za
