The justice ministry's national restructuring of admission of guilt fines for offences such as theft, the possession of dagga and less serious charges of assault should further unclog the courts and prisons, lawyers say.

Cape Law Society President Taswell Papier said admission of guilt fines of up to R5 000 for these offences were already being implemented in the Western Cape, and the justice ministry's new initiative to extend and restructure the fines would help reduce the "clogging up of our court rolls".

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