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"Right to fair public hearing" (pages 20-21), in Amalungelo Oluntu / Human Rights, a 72-page Xhosa-language / English-language handbook published in 1991 by the Community Law Centre, with support from Richards Bay Minerals.  © Copyright 1991 Community Law Centre

[The Community Law Centre has since changed its name to Community Law & Rural Development Centre.  It is a South African non-governmental organisation affiliated to the University of Natal.]

Accompanying text on page 21:

"All trials should be open to the public.  The judge or hearing officer must not, before the hearing, side with any person or group.  The legal procedures must be fair and applied equally to all people.  Laws must be seen as fair to all people.

Do private people have the right to call their own court to judge someone as is being done in the first picture?

Do courts need to be recognised by the government?  If so, why?  What do you do if the legal system does not meet the needs of your people?

Do you support a system where there is one judge who makes all the decisions?  The second picture shows a jury system, where ordinary people make a decision on the facts of a case.  Do you think the jury system is a good one?  If so why?"