Grahamstown could lose up to R110million per year if the jurisdiction of the local High Court is reduced by up to 75%, according to a report released at a Grahamstown Attorneys Association event on Tuesday.
Grahamstown could lose up to R110million per year if the jurisdiction of the local High Court is reduced by up to 75%, according to a report released at a Grahamstown Attorneys Association event on Tuesday.
Rhodes University had requested economics Prof Geoffrey Antrobus to do an economic impact study of the consequences of the removal of the seat or a reduction in the jurisdiction of the Grahamstown High Court.
Although the Grahamstown High Court Action Committee (HCAC) won the war earlier this year after a tense battle to retain the seat of the high court in Grahamstown, the town could still suffer considerable losses if Justice Minister Jeff Radebe decides to reduce its jurisdiction.
The Grahamstown Attorneys Association said that the possible loss of the East London area would mean a loss of about 25% of their case loads, while the removal of the East London and Port Elizabeth areas would mean their workloads would be cut in half; and if the reduction were to include the border corridor area, they could lose up to 75% of their work.
Antrobus explained what these losses would mean in terms of employment and money. He said that a 25% decrease in jurisdiction would result in a loss of at least 110 jobs and a R40million drop in earnings; while a cut of 75% would result in a loss of at least 400 jobs and earnings of more than R110million per year.
The content of the Antrobus report provided a somewhat subduing effect on the Grahamstown Attorneys Association’s rare celebratory event at the Highlander. Chairman of the association, Advocate Brin Body said that in the twenty odd years that he has been a member of the association, “this type of event has only been held four or five times”.
A number of prominent people, including the present and former mayors of Makana attended the event held to celebrate the victory of the Grahamstown High Court Action Committee; the retirement of Judge Frank Kroon and the release of the Antrobus report.
Mayor Zamuxolo Peter congratulated the HCAC and urged guests at the function to “work together to develop a robust and meaningful ‘buy local’ campaign to ensure that what we have retained works to maximum advantage”. He said that the highest priority at the municipality is to create jobs, but he emphasised that these have to be permanent and sustainable jobs.
Peter also urged the attorneys to make a firm commitment to find ways to provide education opportunities for local youth in the legal profession.
The mayor concluded his address reminding those present that next year Grahamstown will be observing its 200th anniversary. He asked, “Over these two centuries, what kind of a town have we become? When we look back, we will have to answer that we have done so much – but that we are not yet finished”.
