Gauteng High Court Scraps Tender Tied to Ex-Justice Officials in CaseLines Deal

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ruled against a contentious government tender awarded for the digital CaseLines court system, exposing a conflict of interest involving former senior officials from the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ).

The court found that the procurement process, which ultimately granted a contract to UK-based tech firm Thomson Reuters (TR), was unlawful and unconstitutional. The decision followed a self-review application by the OCJ after discovering that three of its own senior staff members—Nicolaas Coetzer, Nkosikhona Mncube, and Yvonne van Niekerk—stood to personally benefit from the deal. The trio had resigned but were still employed during the award process and were shareholders in the local subcontractor, ZA Square Consulting.

According to the OCJ, these former employees played roles in the selection of TR, raising serious red flags about fairness and transparency in the process. The tender was meant to deliver online case management infrastructure as part of the Court Online system, which is currently operational in Gauteng and planned for national rollout.

Although the court struck down the original contract, an interim agreement between OCJ and TR—issued in August 2023—will remain in place until a new, lawful agreement is finalized.

In a statement, the OCJ welcomed the ruling, saying it aligns with their internal stance against the questionable deal. “This judgment affirms our commitment to clean governance and efficient court services,” the department said. It reiterated its intention to implement a proper contract that supports judicial efficiency without compromising on ethics or constitutional standards.

The CaseLines system allows courts to manage documents electronically—an important shift for the justice system. But the revelations surrounding the initial tender raised questions about procurement integrity in public service.

The now-void subcontract with ZA Square Consulting has since been terminated. The OCJ emphasized that moving forward, the procurement of digital services must follow a transparent, fair, and lawful process to avoid similar controversies.

This judgment sends a clear message: public institutions will not tolerate hidden interests or backdoor deals, especially in sectors as critical as justice.

{Source: IOL}

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