Justice Baratang Mocumie has criticised South Africa for its lack of participation in the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH).
Mocumie represents South Africa in the HCCH – a body that aims to overcome the challenges that accompany cross-border judicial procedures and determine which country has the jurisdiction.
The organisation currently has 91 member states of which South Africa is a part.
Speaking to Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, who is part of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Mocumie lamented the department’s laissez-faire approach.
She is appearing before the JSC in Sandton, Johannesburg, for interviews for a position on the Electoral Court.
“South Africa is not participating as it should. We are forever saying we need to speak in one voice. We don’t get inputs from the department (or) from the office of the Chief Justice. We don’t have resources to look into exactly how we can speak more about Hague conventions and the impact of international child abductions on our own children. You may think because it’s under family law, it’s a soft skill that doesn’t need (attention) but there’s a lot that can be done there to improve our systems, to improve the protection of our children, they are the most vulnerable.”
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