New investments in courts will help build a better country
- PR Worx Admin
- Sep 1, 2025
- 3 min read
By Olebogeng Manhe, Chairman of the Gap Infrastructure Corporation (GIC)
September 2025: As South Africa rolls out plans to turn the country into a construction site through government’s ambitious infrastructure investment programme, attention is naturally drawn to high‑visibility projects such as new roads, bridges, and housing developments. But there is another essential piece of infrastructure equally critical to the country’s future stability and growth – its court buildings.
Modern, well‑equipped courthouses are the backbone of an effective justice system. They ensure cases are processed efficiently, evidence is handled securely, and court users all have access to safe and functional facilities. Additionally, in parallel with government’s efforts to overhaul the Criminal Procedure Act of 1977 and modernise the criminal justice system, [1] investments in upgrading court infrastructure are crucial for enabling innovations such as remote testimony and virtual hearings, ensuring better public access to justice.
The call for private-sector participation in upgrading South Africa’s court infrastructure has therefore rightly taken centre stage following Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi’s announcement [2] that her department intends to work with businesses to modernise and revitalise facilities around the country. Supported by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, this decision will complement the R400 million allocated to upgrade national courthouses through inviting private sector investment and participation.
In addition to its major benefits for the rule of law and public trust in our legal system, this move offers significant cause for optimism for the construction industry, boosting local economies while also serving public interest in strengthening the justice system.
Notably, while the R400 million figure allocated in 2025/2026 reflects the realities of current fiscal constraints, it forms part of a much broader, multi-year infrastructure pipeline. According to the Review of Parliamentary Oversight on the State of Infrastructure 2019–2024[3] , government has already committed more than R2.5 billion to courthouse infrastructure across the country over the past five years. Of this, approximately R787 million has already been spent on new court builds, refurbishments, and the reconstruction of fire-damaged facilities.
This includes major flagship projects such as the Durban High Court upgrade (R844.9 million) and the rebuild of the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court (R93.9 million), alongside more than 30 additional court facilities undergoing phased upgrades, repairs, or repurposing. These investments have not only strengthened the legal system’s operational capacity, but also stimulated economic activity across multiple provinces, supporting local contractors, training opportunities, and employment for hundreds of workers in the built environment.
The benefits of investments in court infrastructure are outsized. But despite the impressive momentum, much work still lies ahead. The Department of Justice’s 2025/2026 Revised Annual Performance Plan [4] notes that more than 30 court facilities across South Africa remain in various stages of planning or construction. These range from new builds in areas like Jan Kempdorp and Loeriesfontein, to the upgrading of regional facilities such as the Rustenburg, Bisho, and Johannesburg Magistrates’ Courts.
These projects will include essential improvements to accessibility, backup power infrastructure, water systems, and safety features, which are all critical to ensuring continuity of justice services and public safety.
Importantly, many of these facilities are also being retrofitted to accommodate the justice system’s digital transformation. Courtrooms are being reconfigured for virtual proceedings, court recording systems are being installed, and infrastructure is being upgraded to support the Department’s broader e-justice initiatives. These enhancements signal a strong alignment between infrastructure development and policy reform, particularly as government works to make case handling and court processes faster and more effective.
Ultimately, the emphasis on public-private collaboration and accelerated investment in court facilities represents a key opportunity to reimagine what a modern, accessible, and effective justice system looks like. For the construction sector, it offers a clearly defined and socially impactful avenue for growth. For communities, it brings long-overdue improvements to services that directly affect their rights and livelihoods.
Investing in justice infrastructure thus represents a crucial investment in accountability, access, safety, and the rule of law, in addition to its many economic benefits. In building better courts, we are helping build a better country.
[1] https://thepost.co.za/news/politics/2024-02-28-justice-minister-ronald-lamola-says-criminal-procedures-act-of-1977-an-untransformed-apartheid-era-instrument/
[2] https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/830895/private-sector-asked-to-help-pull-south-africas-dilapidated-courts-from-the-brink/
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