South African Judiciary Hits Record High of Over 300 Overdue Judgments; Apex Court Among Worst Offenders

South Africa's judicial backlog hits a record high with 302 late judgments. Read about the delays in the Constitutional Court and the Pretoria High Court.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 2, 2026, 6:30 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from GroundUp

Judicial Backlog Reaches Historic Peak

The number of outstanding court judgments in South Africa has reached its highest level since monitoring began in 2018. According to the latest report from the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ), 302 matters have been outstanding for more than six months, a sharp increase from the 87 recorded seven years ago. Under current Judicial Norms and Standards, judges are expected to make every effort to hand down rulings within three months of a matter being reserved. However, the data reveals a growing disconnect between these standards and the reality of the country's courtrooms, where hundreds of litigants are left waiting indefinitely for legal resolution.

Constitutional Court Struggles with Timely Rulings

In a concerning trend for the legal community, the Constitutional Court—the highest judicial authority in the country—is currently setting a poor example for lower courts. The latest figures show that the apex court has the highest proportion of late judgments relative to its caseload. Out of 21 matters currently before the court, 13 are classified as late, with one case having been reserved for over a year. This bottleneck at the top of the judicial hierarchy is mirrored in the High Courts and Labour Courts, where administrative delays continue to hamper the delivery of justice.

Regional Breakdown: Pretoria and Labour Courts Lead the Delays

The Gauteng Division of the Pretoria High Court currently holds the highest volume of overdue rulings, with 55 judgments outstanding for longer than six months. Following closely are the Johannesburg and Durban Labour Courts, with 51 and 31 late judgments respectively. While some divisions, such as the Electoral Court and the Competition Appeal Court, have managed to maintain a clean record with zero late judgments, the overall national trend points toward a system under significant strain. Specific judges have also been highlighted for individual backlogs, with one acting judge in the Johannesburg Labour Court currently managing 26 outstanding matters.