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Superior Courts Act, 2013

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The act restructured the High Courts into Divisions of a single High Court as described in the following table. In each division, if there was more than one existing court, one became the main seat with jurisdiction over the whole province, and the others became local seats with jurisdiction over a
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The Gauteng Division at Pretoria was to also serve as the Limpopo and Mpumalanga Divisions until the new courts are opened at Polokwane and Mbombela (Nelspruit). The Limpopo Division at Polokwane was opened on 25 January 2016, and the Mpumalanga Division at Mbombela was established on 13 May 2019.
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require that the court system be rationalised to suit the new constitution "as soon as practical". The Superior Courts Bill was first introduced in 2003, but it was opposed by members of the judiciary and the legal profession, as well as by opposition politicians, because they claimed that it
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Act to rationalise, consolidate and amend the laws relating to the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Appeal and the High Court of South Africa; to make provision for the administration of the judicial functions of all courts; to make provision for administrative and budgetary matters
292:. The bill was ultimately allowed to lapse in 2009. In the meantime, the "Interim Rationalisation of Jurisdiction of High Courts Act" and the "Renaming of High Courts Act" were passed to allow the High Courts to be renamed and their areas of jurisdiction to be altered. 299:, rather than the Minister of Justice, responsible for the administration of the courts, allaying the fears about judicial independence. The new version of the bill was supported by the official opposition 911: 263:
and the High Court), and altered the administration and financial management of the courts. The act was signed into law on 12 August 2013, and came into force on 23 August. It is associated with the
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on 12 August 2013, and brought into force by presidential proclamation on 23 August.
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The Superior Courts Bill was reintroduced in 2010, but this new version made the
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relating to the Superior Courts; and to provide for matters incidental thereto.
255:. It rationalised and consolidated the laws governing the superior courts (the 959: 303:. The bill did encounter substantial opposition from interested parties in 726: 304: 183: 786: 326: 252: 47: 288:
by putting the administration of the courts under the control of the
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South African law on the structure of the judicial system
239:. It reorganised the various High Courts into a single 570:"New Superior Courts Bill to be Tabled in Parliament" 267:, which makes corresponding necessary changes to the 940:
Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
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Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
620:. South African Government News Agency. 20 May 2010 188:Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development 646:"Courts bill 'a shield from political influence'" 957: 618:"Cabinet approves new-look Superior Courts Bill" 265:Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Act of 2012 208:Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Act of 2012 742: 424:KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Pietermaritzburg 756: 749: 735: 509: 507: 322:on 14 May 2013. It was signed into law by 27: 590: 564: 562: 612: 610: 376:Eastern Cape High Court, Port Elizabeth 643: 504: 405:South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg 247:, including two new divisions to serve 958: 639: 637: 635: 559: 730: 644:Hartley, Wyndham (23 November 2012). 607: 366:Eastern Cape High Court, Grahamstown 669: 430:New court to be created at Polokwane 632: 462:Northern Cape High Court, Kimberley 451:New court to be created at Mbombela 381:Free State High Court, Bloemfontein 243:, with a division situated in each 13: 482:Western Cape High Court, Cape Town 391:North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria 14: 987: 715: 371:Eastern Cape High Court, Mthatha 785: 672:"Grahamstown to keep High Court" 670:King, Caroline (24 March 2011). 591:Mfengwana, Tando (2 July 2007). 445:Limpopo High Court, Thohoyandou 410:KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Durban 593:"DA slams Superior Courts Bill" 472:North West High Court, Mahikeng 418:(main seat at Pietermaritzburg) 352:Eastern Cape High Court, Bhisho 318:on 22 November 2012 and by the 279:Transitional provisions in the 689: 663: 584: 533: 1: 497: 332: 320:National Council of Provinces 286:independence of the judiciary 108:National Council of Provinces 572:. SabinetLaw. 5 January 2011 7: 515:"Zuma signs new court bill" 314:The bill was passed by the 227:(Act No. 10 of 2013) is an 10: 992: 541:"Zuma signs law on courts" 360:(main seat at Grahamstown) 274: 241:High Court of South Africa 233:Parliament of South Africa 37:Parliament of South Africa 976:2013 in South African law 966:South African legislation 945:Superior Courts Act, 2013 930:Judiciary of South Africa 925: 889: 853: 794: 783: 764: 433: 412: 393: 354: 225:Superior Courts Act, 2013 213: 206: 201: 193: 179: 171: 160: 152: 147: 137: 129: 121: 113: 103: 95: 85: 75: 65: 42: 35: 26: 22:Superior Courts Act, 2013 21: 912:Competition Appeal Court 722:Official text of the act 439:(main seat at Polokwane) 80:Republic of South Africa 777:Supreme Court of Appeal 399:(main seat at Pretoria) 261:Supreme Court of Appeal 971:Courts of South Africa 758:Courts of South Africa 547:. SAPA. 23 August 2013 521:. Sapa. 13 August 2013 466:Northern Cape Division 414:KwaZulu-Natal Division 235:that restructured the 486:Western Cape Division 356:Eastern Cape Division 772:Constitutional Court 257:Constitutional Court 167:Superior Courts Bill 138:Administered by 935:Law of South Africa 902:Labour Appeal Court 876:Small claims courts 866:Magistrate's courts 476:North West Division 456:Mpumalanga Division 385:Free State Division 301:Democratic Alliance 290:Minister of Justice 202:Related legislation 148:Legislative history 871:Traditional courts 76:Territorial extent 70:Act No. 10 of 2013 953: 952: 907:Land Claims Court 890:Specialist courts 491: 490: 440: 419: 400: 361: 338:restricted area. 316:National Assembly 281:1996 Constitution 221: 220: 155:National Assembly 90:National Assembly 983: 789: 765:Appellate courts 751: 744: 737: 728: 727: 709: 708: 706: 704: 693: 687: 686: 684: 682: 667: 661: 660: 658: 656: 641: 630: 629: 627: 625: 614: 605: 604: 602: 600: 588: 582: 581: 579: 577: 566: 557: 556: 554: 552: 537: 531: 530: 528: 526: 511: 438: 435:Limpopo Division 417: 398: 395:Gauteng Division 359: 341: 340: 122:Assented to 99:22 November 2012 31: 19: 18: 991: 990: 986: 985: 984: 982: 981: 980: 956: 955: 954: 949: 921: 917:Electoral Court 885: 881:Equality courts 861:Regional courts 849: 790: 781: 760: 755: 718: 713: 712: 702: 700: 695: 694: 690: 680: 678: 668: 664: 654: 652: 642: 633: 623: 621: 616: 615: 608: 598: 596: 589: 585: 575: 573: 568: 567: 560: 550: 548: 539: 538: 534: 524: 522: 513: 512: 505: 500: 437: 416: 397: 358: 335: 277: 153:First chamber: 61: 58: 52: 51: 17: 12: 11: 5: 989: 979: 978: 973: 968: 951: 950: 948: 947: 942: 937: 932: 926: 923: 922: 920: 919: 914: 909: 904: 899: 893: 891: 887: 886: 884: 883: 878: 873: 868: 863: 857: 855: 851: 850: 848: 847: 842: 837: 832: 827: 822: 817: 812: 807: 801: 799: 792: 791: 784: 782: 780: 779: 774: 768: 766: 762: 761: 754: 753: 746: 739: 731: 725: 724: 717: 716:External links 714: 711: 710: 688: 676:Grocott's Mail 662: 631: 606: 583: 558: 532: 502: 501: 499: 496: 489: 488: 483: 479: 478: 473: 469: 468: 463: 459: 458: 453: 447: 446: 442: 441: 432: 426: 425: 421: 420: 411: 407: 406: 402: 401: 392: 388: 387: 382: 378: 377: 373: 372: 368: 367: 363: 362: 353: 349: 348: 345: 344:Previous court 334: 331: 276: 273: 219: 218: 211: 210: 204: 203: 199: 198: 195: 191: 190: 181: 177: 176: 173: 169: 168: 165: 158: 157: 150: 149: 145: 144: 139: 135: 134: 133:23 August 2013 131: 127: 126: 125:12 August 2013 123: 119: 118: 115: 111: 110: 105: 104:Passed by 101: 100: 97: 93: 92: 87: 86:Passed by 83: 82: 77: 73: 72: 67: 63: 62: 60: 59: 55: 45: 44: 43: 40: 39: 33: 32: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 988: 977: 974: 972: 969: 967: 964: 963: 961: 946: 943: 941: 938: 936: 933: 931: 928: 927: 924: 918: 915: 913: 910: 908: 905: 903: 900: 898: 895: 894: 892: 888: 882: 879: 877: 874: 872: 869: 867: 864: 862: 859: 858: 856: 852: 846: 843: 841: 840:Northern Cape 838: 836: 833: 831: 828: 826: 823: 821: 820:KwaZulu-Natal 818: 816: 813: 811: 808: 806: 803: 802: 800: 797: 793: 788: 778: 775: 773: 770: 769: 767: 763: 759: 752: 747: 745: 740: 738: 733: 732: 729: 723: 720: 719: 698: 692: 677: 673: 666: 651: 647: 640: 638: 636: 619: 613: 611: 594: 587: 571: 565: 563: 546: 542: 536: 520: 516: 510: 508: 503: 495: 487: 484: 481: 480: 477: 474: 471: 470: 467: 464: 461: 460: 457: 454: 452: 449: 448: 444: 443: 436: 431: 428: 427: 423: 422: 415: 409: 408: 404: 403: 396: 390: 389: 386: 383: 380: 379: 375: 374: 370: 369: 365: 364: 357: 351: 350: 347:New division 346: 343: 342: 339: 330: 328: 325: 321: 317: 312: 310: 306: 302: 298: 297:Chief Justice 293: 291: 287: 284:weakened the 282: 272: 270: 266: 262: 258: 254: 250: 246: 242: 238: 234: 230: 226: 216: 212: 209: 205: 200: 196: 192: 189: 185: 182: 180:Introduced by 178: 174: 172:Bill citation 170: 166: 163: 159: 156: 151: 146: 143: 140: 136: 132: 128: 124: 120: 116: 112: 109: 106: 102: 98: 94: 91: 88: 84: 81: 78: 74: 71: 68: 64: 54: 53: 50: 49: 41: 38: 34: 30: 25: 20: 944: 897:Labour Court 854:Lower courts 845:Western Cape 805:Eastern Cape 701:. 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Retrieved 518: 492: 450: 429: 336: 313: 294: 278: 269:Constitution 237:court system 224: 222: 214: 46: 305:Grahamstown 197:2 June 2011 184:Jeff Radebe 117:14 May 2013 960:Categories 835:North West 830:Mpumalanga 810:Free State 796:High Court 498:References 333:Provisions 327:Jacob Zuma 253:Mpumalanga 194:Introduced 48:Long title 798:divisions 703:13 August 681:13 August 655:13 August 624:13 August 599:13 August 576:13 August 551:25 August 525:13 August 324:President 130:Commenced 245:province 217:In force 66:Citation 825:Limpopo 815:Gauteng 275:History 249:Limpopo 231:of the 215:Status: 175:B7—2011 545:News24 519:News24 309:Bhisho 259:, the 114:Passed 96:Passed 164:title 705:2013 683:2013 657:2013 626:2013 601:2013 578:2013 553:2013 527:2013 251:and 223:The 162:Bill 229:act 962:: 674:. 648:. 634:^ 609:^ 561:^ 543:. 517:. 506:^ 271:. 186:, 750:e 743:t 736:v 707:. 685:. 659:. 628:. 603:. 580:. 555:. 529:.

Index


Parliament of South Africa
Long title
Act No. 10 of 2013
Republic of South Africa
National Assembly
National Council of Provinces
Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
National Assembly
Bill
Jeff Radebe
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development
Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Act of 2012
act
Parliament of South Africa
court system
High Court of South Africa
province
Limpopo
Mpumalanga
Constitutional Court
Supreme Court of Appeal
Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Act of 2012
Constitution
1996 Constitution
independence of the judiciary
Minister of Justice
Chief Justice
Democratic Alliance
Grahamstown

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