Theshooting at the Booysens Magistrate’s Courtin Johannesburg yesterday has been linked to a murder case stemming from a fatal stabbing at a Mondeor pool hall last year. Southern Courierreportsthat Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Andries Nel confirmed that the accused, who is out on bail, was attending a pretrial conference related to a murder case. The matter involves an 18-year-old accused who allegedly stabbed and killed another 18-year-old at the Ballbreakers pool hall in Mondeor on April 5.
Nel said the attack happened outside the court building as the accused, accompanied by family members and a legal representative, exited towards the parking area. Armed assailants gained access through a pedestrian entrance and opened fire, killing two people and injuring three others before fleeing the scene. Deputy Minister Nel says gunmen opened fire outside the court as the accused exited after a pretrial conference.
Full story on southerncourier.co.za According to Nel, the court has permanent security personnel, operational CCTV systems, metal detectors and X-ray machines in place, and crime wardens deployed within the precinct. He said security inside the court remains adequate. However, the incident has prompted an urgent review of security in areas surrounding the court, including parking areas and external access points, with discussions underway between justice and police authorities to strengthen visible policing at courts.
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Nel warned that courts are increasingly being used by criminals as predictable locations where specific individuals are known to be present at certain times. He said similar incidents elsewhere in the country have shown that attacks near courts undermine public confidence in the justice system and pose serious risks to magistrates, prosecutors, court staff and members of the public. Nel said employee wellness services have been deployed to provide counselling to court staff who witnessed the incident. Support is also being extended to prosecutors and other officials, including those involved in related cases and those not directly affected.
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