PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The state-of-the-art Plettenberg Bay Magistrate's Court has been temporarily closed following infrastructural damage caused by the severe storm on Wednesday 6 May, with all scheduled court proceedings now moved to Knysna Magistrate's Court until further notice.

While court officials have remained largely silent regarding the extent of the damage and expected repair timelines, many residents were not surprised by the sudden closure. Community members claim they witnessed sections of the courthouse roof lifting during the height of the storm, raising immediate concerns about the building's structural integrity.

More than two weeks after the damaging weather event, no visible repair work has yet commenced at the courthouse, further frustrating residents and regular court users who say communication from authorities has been poor.

The closure only came to the public's attention after a resident enquired on social media about court attendance arrangements. In response, another community member shared an image of an official notice confirming the temporary closure of the building.

The notice stated: "Please be informed that due to infrastructural damage to the building, court will be sitting at Knysna Magistrate's Court until further notice. The public is therefore advised to attend court at Knysna Magistrate's Court building if possible, alternatively the State will inform accused persons and witnesses of the next court dates."

Authorities also confirmed that no other services will be rendered at the Plettenberg Bay court building for the duration of the closure and urged domestic violence complainants to report directly to their nearest police stations to open criminal cases.

The temporary relocation is expected to place additional strain on court users, legal representatives and accused persons who now have to travel to Knysna for proceedings, particularly those without reliable transport. Residents have called for greater transparency from court officials regarding the extent of the damage, anticipated repair timelines and when normal operations are expected to resume.

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