National Council members have raised concerns over delayed service delivery in the justice system, urging more magistrates' courts in regions to speed up cases.

The Judicial Service Commission says all magistrates who applied for appointment as judges to the civil stream of the High Court did not meet the requirements during a recruitment process conducted last year.

Case registration in the country's courts has remained high over the past year, with the workload in the High Court’s civil stream rising from about 384 cases per judge in 2024 to more than 600 cases per judge last year.

Magistrates appear to be back at work following a week-long "go-slow", although operations are still moving at a slow pace, according to judiciary sources. 

The enduring legacy of colonial legal systems, referred to as German laws, continues to impact Namibia's legal system, indigenous communities and cultural values in the post-independence era.

The High Court has undertaken a number of review judgements in May, setting aside convictions and sentences.

The reviews also led to reduced sentences and fines imposed by lower courts, an indication that Namibia's justice system is able to self-correct.