Issued by: Ministry of Justice
8 June 1995
The Minister of Justice has been paying an official visit to the United Kingdom as a guest of the British Government. He is also attending a key conference on peace in Northern Ireland in Belfast.
While in London, the Minister addressed the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and held extensive talks with judges, universities, government officials.
During his visit he met, inter alia, with the Rt Hon Michael Howard, Secretary of State of the Home Department and the Rt Hon Baroness Chalker for Wallasey, Minister of State. He also met with the Labour Party Shadow Minister for the Home Department, Mr Jack Straw.
The purpose of the visit was to acquaint the Minister with the British judicial system, particularly in respect of access to justice, and with a particular focus on the courts, on judicial appointments, court management and training. British efforts to make the civil service more representative of the population and to provide equal opportunities for disadvantaged people were also discussed.
Discussions were also held on possible co-operation between Britain and South Africa. The British government has undertaken to render whatever assistance it can to help the Minister with his plans to transform the administration of justice in South Africa and to make it more representative, accessible, democratic and transparent..
The Minister of Justice is grateful to the British High Commissioner in Cape Town and his staff and to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London for all the assistance he received. Their efforts have made a substantial contribution to making the visit useful and successful.
Following his trip to England the Minister is attending a Conference on Reconciliation and Community, the Future of Peace in Northern Ireland.
The aim of the Conference is to look at experiences in other parts of the world and to see how these can be applied peace process in Northern Ireland. Topics under discussion include World; Building trust in the Negwith regard to recent experience, particularly in regard to Spaie United States; Memory and Acknowledgement - the role that unresolved historical grievances play in fuelling civil conflict; and the positive role the arts can play.
Speakers from South Africa include the Minister of Justice who also delivered an address on behalf of Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, Mr Roelf Meyer, Mr Peter Gastrow on behalf of the Minister for Safety and Security and Mr Alex Boraine of Justice in Transition.
Participating countries include Costa Rica, Northern Ireland, the United States, Poland, Ireland, Spain, the Czech Republic, El Salvador and Columbia.
The Minister returns to South Africa on the 10th June.
Issued by Susan de Villiers on behalf of the Minister of Justice. For more information, telephone 021-457418 or page 021-215420 code 27989. 8 June 1995