Cape town: Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi tabled the department's 2026/27 R26.3 billion budget in Parliament on Tuesday. 'The priorities for this financial year include fighting crime and corruption, increasing access to justice through improved efficiency and effectiveness of our systems, and deepening the transformation of the legal sector,' Kubayi said.

According to South African Government News Agency, the Minister reiterated the department's commitment to 'contributing to establishing a criminal justice system that is preventative, responsive and effective' against the scourge of Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). 'During the current financial year, an additional 20 sexual offences courts will be established in communities with the highest incidence of sexual offences to ensure a dedicated focus on these cases.'

The National Prosecuting Authority's Thuthuzela Care Centres will also be increased. These centres act as one-stop facilities aimed at providing survivor-centred support for GBV and rape victims. 'The NPA currently has 68 Thuthuzela Care Centres, and it will add 4 more in the 2026/27 financial year to bring the total to 72. SOCA unit will continue to enhance its work to ensure successful prosecutions of GBVF cases,' she added.

Kubayi told parliamentarians that the department is expanding access to justice for South Africa's rural communities. '[The] department has undertaken an initiative to extend additional court services to the courts that are historically serving as satellite points for larger magistrates' courts. During this financial year, additional services will be extended to 19 courts across the country,' she said.

Court infrastructure will also be targeted. 'Regarding lower court infrastructure, a budget allocation of over R 463 million has been set aside for buildings and other fixed structures for financial year 2026/27. [Some] 186 projects at various stages of implementation will be funded from the allocation and priority will be given to projects already underway.'

Kubayi noted that the Constitution enjoins the government to empower, in particular, women and youth. 'For our part as government, we have made a commitment to the sector to implement a number of reforms so that we can alter our briefing patterns in favour of the blacks and women legal practitioners.'

Turning to the management of state litigation, the Minister said the government will use the intergovernmental National Litigation Forum to 'ensure a coordinated approach between state attorneys and client departments'. 'To deal with the backlog on state litigation, we are going to bring in legal experts who are going to help us assess the merits of each case to determine the best course of action on how to resolve the cases.'

The compensation of employees represents some 62% of the total budget of the department, coming in at R16.4 billion while R5.4 billion is set aside for goods and services. A total of R3.8 billion will go to transfers and subsidies to public and constitutional entities and a further R2.75 billion is for magistrates' salaries and R628.8 million for payments for capital assets. 'The budget was reduced by R332.108 million in 2026/27, driven by the downward revision of the inflation target, from 6% to 3%, and a function shift to the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) as part of phase 1 towards a single judiciary,' said the Minister.