While the directive to return to court is clear, there are matters that can still be done virtually and, more often than not, there will be a need for hybrid hearings. The updated Directive from the Judge Presidents office ( Directive 2 of 2022 on 18 July 2022 ) noted that in section 1.3 – “Where significant advantages exist in some types of cases to use video-link hearings it is appropriate that such types of cases be heard by video-link as the default model”.
PSI and its team have worked hard over the past two years to provide a solution that will help practitioners with their virtual needs.
One specific area is the creation of the “Secure Witness Rooms” that are placed across the country for ease of use. In the same directive, point 3.2 refers to these rooms as being pivotal in the Integrity of a witness’ testimony. The reduction of costs is extremely advantageous for all parties when a witness or expert witness can use these rooms rather than appearing in court.
PSI IT Services secure remote witness rooms are in compliance with The Arbitration Foundation of South Africa’s (AFSA) Remote Hearing Protocols.
The legal landscape has changed but integrity cannot be compromised. While the use of single-view webcams has provided some relief in terms of witness testimony, the issue of room integrity is still a concern.
PSI IT Services offers remote hearing facilitation, state of the art witness rooms and video conferencing support. Allowing you to focus on the details that matter.
On-site engineers will make sure that you are connected when you need to be. Multicamera support provides the peace of mind that the integrity of the room is upheld. Our secure rooms are available across the country, allowing for national and international alternative dispute resolutions without travel costs.
