Niël Terblanché
The Office of the Judiciary has dismissed claims regarding an alleged investigation into the regional demographics of magistrates qualified for appointment to Namibia’s High Court.
The clarification issued by the acting deputy director, Delila Salatiel, follows misinformation stemming from a media statement urging the Minister of Justice to release findings of a purported probe.
The debate originated from a statistic cited in response to a media query.
According to Salaltiel, the Office of the Judiciary did address allegations in an anonymous WhatsApp message, falsely claiming that 90% of High Court-qualified magistrates hailed from the Zambezi region.
In a reply to New Era newspaper on 3 October 2024, the Salatiel confirmed that 34% of the qualifying magistrates – 10 out of 29 – come from the Zambezi region.
This figure, however, was not the result of an investigation but was provided to refute the inflated claim circulating on social media.
Contrary to allegations, the Judiciary stated categorically that no investigation has taken place.
“There is no investigation for the Minister of Justice to disclose,” she said.
Instead, Salatiel stressed that the judicial appointment process in Namibia adheres strictly to transparency, merit, and constitutional provisions.
Salatiel said that the clarification is a demonstration of the judiciary’s commitment to correcting public misconceptions, ensuring that information about judicial appointments remains factual and rooted in legal standards.
The Office of the Judiciary, which operates independently under the Judiciary Act of 2015, manages the administration of the Supreme Court, High Court, and lower courts.
Salatiel called on the public to rely on verified sources and to refrain from spreading unsubstantiated claims.
