Magistrates could be disciplined over \'stress\' leave

Moreover, doctors found to have colluded with such magistrates could face criminal action. This emerged yesterday during hearings in Parliament relating to an embarrassing bungle over new salary scales for magistrates and senior magistrates, which included car allowances for the first time. These allowances amount to an extra R65 000 for each magistrate and were recommended by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Office Bearers. They were approved and gazetted by the president and backdated to April – without the R170m extra required having been budgeted for. The payments have therefore been put on hold. However, furious magistrates – some of whom have already bought vehicles believing they would receive their allowances – have taken to petitioning MPs, including Justice Committee chair, Fatima Chohan-Kota. She accused the ‘few rotten apples’ of acting like public servants, despite wanting to be treated like judicial officers. Full report in The Mercury