Pearston small claims court opens

Pearston community will now be able to deal with small civil matters right on their doorstep following the launch of a Small Claims Court in the Eastern Cape town.

Deputy Justice Minister John Jeffery said yesterday the new court, about 160km from Port Elizabeth, had been established and gazetted this month, with more to be created in the province.

Pearston falls within the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality, part of the larger Cacadu District Municipality.

Jeffery said the court, already operational, gave the residents a chance to deal with their own matters speedily "without having to deal with such matters in the normal civil courts which require more complex procedures and require interaction with lawyers".

Since the start of the financial year in April, he said, the department had already set up 16 small claims courts countrywide, with a further 13 in the pipeline. - Thulani Gqirana