Courts faced with shortage of interpreters

South Africa's Justice & Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has confirmed that there is a shortage of interpreters in several courts nationwide. IoL dozens of courts are not meeting the standard of one interpreter in each court. Kubayi blamed the shortage of interpreters on the increased demand for interpreting services in SA, which has 11 official languages. ‘This increased demand has placed pressure on the existing interpreter pool, particularly in rural and multilingual areas. The requirement for interpreters to be accredited through the SA Language Practitioners’ Council, in line with the SA Language Practitioners’ Council Act has also narrowed the pool of eligible candidates in the short term,’ she said. Replying to Democratic Alliance MP Damien Klopper, Kubayi said in the 147 identified posts across the country, 77 are filled and 69 remain vacant. Of the vacant posts, 30 have already been advertised, 37 are yet to be advertised, and two have been re-advertised. She revealed that there were currently approximately 69 funded vacant court interpreter posts across the country.

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