MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WITH REGARD TO THE STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA
The Department notes with regret the contents of the press release by the Prosecutors Association of South Africa (PASA). The Department and PASA have been in regular communication with each other. At no stage has PASA complained that the department was not attending to various matters.
Indeed the Department has gone out of its way to address the concerns, not only of PASA, but of all prosecutors. It must be borne in mind that not all prosecutors are members of PASA. Many are members of other organisations. Others belong to no organisations at all. Hence the Department seeks to address the concerns of all prosecutors throughout South Africa.
The Department has also kept PASA informed on a continuous basis on all efforts which were being made to address the concerns of prosecutors. For example the filling of posts of senior public prosecutors, the implementation of overtime payment, the prolonged negotiations with the Departments of State Expenditure and Public Service and Administration with regard to the improvement of salaries, and also with regard to the progress of legislation designed to give effect to Section 179 of the new Constitution.
The Department has also gone out of its way to assist whenever problems arose at certain stations with regard to payment of overtime. Indeed on many such occasions the problems were resolved.
On two occasions the Chairperson of PASA was invited to a discussion with senior officials of the Department with regard to various complaints. There has never been any response to the invitation.
The PASA statement is also inaccurate with regard to payment of salaries to Magistrates. It is most unfortunate that PASA has chosen to raise its concerns through the media instead of directly with the Department.
Both the Department as well as Prosecutors face certain complex problems which require co-operation between them. This relates to the legislation to be promoted in parliament, the de-linking of prosecutors from the Public Service and negotiations relating to salary dispensation in the future. These problems cannot be solved overnight. PASA and other organisations representing prosecutors will be involved in all discussions relating thereto.
PASA should stop negotiating through the media and should instead negotiate directly with the Department.
Issued on behalf of the Department of Justice by the Chief Liaison Officer Tel: 012 323 9302 Fax: 012 218291 Date: 18 December 1996