By Own Correspondent

THE country’s Labour Court recently migrated to the digital platform with filing of documents and application now being done online amid fears the move could sideline ordinary workers' pursuit of justice.

The development, set to streamline the running of the courts, is set to culminate in the hearing of matters at the two judicial institutions done virtually.

Judicial Services Commission secretary Walter Chikwanha said digitalisation of the two courts is expected to improve efficiency and curb corruption and bogus lawyers.

“We launched the first phase of the Integrated Electronic Case Management system (IECMS) on May 1, 2022. Now we are moving into the second phase which we are launching on 1 February 2023.

“That’s when the Labour Court and the Administrative Court are now going digital.

“Filing of documents, filing of papers, applications, reviews and so forth is going to be done electronically,” he said.

Chikwanha said cases at the Labour and Administrative Courts would soon be heard virtually.

“And the hearing of matters may also now be done virtually both in the Labour Court and the Administrative Court starting 1 February,” he said.

JSC spokesperson Daniel Nemukuyu said digitalisation of the two courts took off without any glitches.

“The implementation of the second phase of IECMS was a success.

“At the Labour Court in Harare, we assisted 84 court users to register with the system. We received five new court cases electronically and we also received 33 requests that we dealt with in terms of the new system,” he said.

However, several labour activists have expressed fears on the practicality of the mechanism amid fears that ordinary workers deep in the countryside may be side-lined from full exercise of their rights.

“There is urgent need for the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) to investigate these latest developments and establish whether they augur well with the workers constituency. Otherwise we will all wake up to discover that we have been technically side-lined by employers who are already at an advantage as they have the capacity to afford technology,” said one anonymous employee.