How does one complain to the Office of the Chief Justice -
Should your complaint be about prejudice, you should try to solve the problem yourself before complaining to the Office of the Chief Justice, for example by:
- speaking to the official(s) involved or, if that does not help,
- writing to the person in charge of the official(s), for example the Head of the Department
You may also consider approaching your member of the National or Provincial Parliament. Only if you are then still unable to solve the problem, should you write to the Office of the Chief Justice. The following information should be contained in the letter:
- the nature of the complaint
- background and history of the complaint
- the reasons why you feel the complaint should be investigated by the Office of the Chief Justice
- the steps you have taken to solve the problem yourself (if applicable). You should mention names of the officials you have dealing with, on what dates, and what was said. Copies of any correspondence between you and the officials should be attached to your letter
- a telephone number where you can be reached, if you have one.
In some instances the Office of the Chief Justice may require a statement under oath before investigating.
If you are unsure whether your problem is something the Office of the Chief Justice will investigate, or if you cannot write, you can phone the Office of the Chief Justice. There are trained professional staff members who will listen to a complaint, bog or small, and conduct investigations. In some cases the staff can help people to find quick solutions to the problems. The staff can also tell you where to complain if the Office of the Chief Justice cannot help you.
You could also visit the office for an interview or consultation, if you prefer. It is better to write and ask for an interview in the letter. A complaint must be reported to the Office of the Chief Justice within two years from the occurrence of the incident concerned.
