Magistrate's court (South Africa)

Magistrates' Courts of South Africa
Native names
  • 10 other official names:
  • die landdroshowe (Afrikaans)
  • amaKhotho waboMarhastrada (Southern Ndebele)
  • ziiNkundla zeeMantyi (Xhosa)
  • iziNkantolo Zomantshi (Zulu)
  • tiNkantolo taboMantj (Swazi)
  • Dikgorotsheko tša boMmaseterata (Northern Sotho)
  • Makgotla a Bomaseterata (Sotho)
  • Dikgotlatshekelo tsa boMagiseterata (Tswana)
  • Tikhoto ta Vamajisitarata (Tsonga)
  • Khothe dza ha Madzhisiṱaraṱa (Venda)
JurisdictionSouth Africa
Appeals toHigh Court of South Africa
WebsiteThe Judiciary - Magistrates’ Courts

The magistrates' courts are the lowest level of the court system in South Africa. They are the courts of first instance for most criminal cases except for the most serious crimes, and for civil cases where the value of the claim is below a fixed monetary limit.