Judges Are A Traumatised, Lonely Lot � Tafa
Tumelo Mouwane | Monday October 26, 2015 14:22
He said that they never receive any counselling sessions. On a day his department held a wellness day, the High Court President used the moment to reflect on the misery of his judges as a result of lack of counselling facilities for them.
Tafa said despite dealing with very traumatising issues on a daily basis and being exposed to unavoidable work related stress; there are no arrangements in place to provide counselling services within the courts.
In an interview with The Monitor on the sidelines of the Administration of Justice Wellness Day held at Lobatse High Court on Friday, Tafa said that judges suffer loneliness and their social lives are largely affected, as they have to live under many restrictions.
“Judges suffer a lot of loneliness because they spend much time adjudicating on cases alone. Our social lives are also largely affected. Judging other people requires one to be at high standards than them so you end up cutting down on friends. You don’t just socialise in any place. You don’t do certain things in public. I cannot go to a hotel and have my refreshments there because people could fight there and the next day I will be the same person to adjudicate their matter. They can make me a witness. I would rather, without any choice, enjoy my refreshments at my house,” Tafa said.
Tafa further said courts deal with hardened criminals who have no respect for the law and other people. He further said sometimes they adjudicate in cases such as murder where they have to pass a death sentence regardless of personal beliefs, something which leads to huge amounts of stress, therefore inevitable need for counselling.
“I don’t regret being a High Court judge, but it is a concern,” he said.
Tafa further said workload related stress is also an issue that needs occupational health counselling facilities. He said it has long been overdue to set counselling departments in courts.
“I will spend the day in court listening to witnesses and compile a judgment on the same evening to avoid work pile; something which deprives one’s family time. It is high time, in fact, it is has long been overdue for us to have guidance and counselling departments in our courts. The only available counselling structure is at the Gaborone High Court, but counselling is only administered on physically ill patients. Being a judge is a very tough calling and assignment. If things could be running the way I want, we could be having 50 judges across the country,” Tafa said.
Lobatse High Court deputy registrar and master of the high court, Felicity Sigweni reiterated Tafa’s concerns that brutal criminal cases bring untold trauma to the staff.
Kgosi Letsholo of Lobatse expressed the same sentiments. Letsholo said the members of the administration of justice need to be fit to do their work, therefore it is essential for them to have such counselling structures within their work places.
Administration of Justice Wellness Day is celebrated annually across all Magistrate and High Courts in Botswana.
This year was celebrated under the theme ‘Healthy Lifestyle for Organisational Successes’.