Minister of Justice and Labour Relations, Wise Immanuel, has stated that the retirement and promotion of judicial officers, alongside the introduction of new court functions, have resulted in vacancies within the High Court.

This was in response to a concern raised by the Landless People's Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi regarding the pressure on judges due to a shortage of staff.

The minister said judges who previously managed about 130 cases are now managing between 260 and 280 each due to a shortage of presiding officers.

To address the situation, the Judicial Service Commission is actively recruiting and widening the pool of potential nominees.

"The Judicial Training Institute is also being considered to provide structured preparation for both novice and aspiring judges. For members, this situation is serious, but it's not being met with complacency. Structural remit is underway, recruitment is active, and investment in future judicial capacity is progressively being made."