Judicial stress is not a weakness that must be stigmatised but should be seen as a natural human response to the demands of the jobs judges and magistrates do.

These were the words of Chief Justice Peter Shivute at the International Day of Judicial Well-Being in Windhoek today.

The Judicial Service Commission says all magistrates who applied for appointment as judges to the civil stream of the High Court did not meet the requirements during a recruitment process conducted last year.

Magistrates appear to be back at work following a week-long "go-slow", although operations are still moving at a slow pace, according to judiciary sources. 

Justice Minister Wise Immanuel has decided not to go forward with an urgent application in which he sought a court interdict to stop the ongoing partial work stoppage by magistrates. 

The Minister of Justice, Wise Immanuel, has filed an urgent application with the High Court to seek an order declaring the ongoing partial work stoppage by magistrates unlawful.

The matter will be heard on Friday.

Magistrates across the country have threatened to stop work next week if the Ministry of Justice fails to implement long-promised housing and vehicle allowance increases.