Access to justice in South Africa is a major challenge for majority of the black population. This last phase will allow a national coverage with new Small Claims Courts in particular in townships and rural communities. An action plan has been endorsed by the authorities and is part of the strategic plan of the Ministry of Justice. Key results and insights from previous phases: Since 2007 the Project succeeded in setting up new Small Claims Courts and strengthening existing ones; the number of SCC increased from 152 in 2007 (at the start of the Project) to 208 in 2010. The overall goal of the project for the second phase is to ensure that all people in South Africa particularly the vulnerable groups in rural areas and townships have increased and reliable access to civil justice through re-engineered Small Claims Courts.

The project in brief

Directorate/federal office responsible	SDC
Credit area	Development cooperation
Project partners	Contract partner Foreign state institution Central State of South East
Budget	Current phase Swiss budget CHF    1’480’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’133’287
Project phases	Phase 2 01.12.2010 - 31.12.2015   (Completed)

Further technical details

• Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
  Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	Legal and judicial development
  Cross-cutting topics	Conflict reduction The project takes account of gender equality as a cross-cutting theme. The project takes account of democratisation, good governance and human rights as cross-cutting themes. The project supports partner organisation improvements as a priority
  Type of support	Official development assistance (ODA)
  Type of collaboration	Bilateral cooperation
  Finance type	Aid grant
  Aid Type	Project and programme contribution
  Tied/untied aid	Untied aid
  Project number	7F04518