Justibly

Magistrates' and Regional Courts

Magistrate's Courts are where most South Africans have their only direct contact with the court system. Each is a district-level office under the Magistrates' Courts Act 32 of 1944, hearing the bulk of the country's criminal trials, civil claims up to a monetary limit, maintenance applications, domestic violence protection orders, and small claims. A Regional Court is a more senior division within the same magistracy, hearing more serious criminal matters (short of those reserved for the High Court) and civil claims up to a higher monetary limit; regional magistrates sit inside a subset of these same buildings rather than at separate premises of their own.

This directory lists the Department of Justice's published magistrate's court offices - main district offices, branch courts, and detached courts - across all nine provinces, plus each province's own Regional Court President office. It does not currently identify which specific building hosts a regional-division sitting on any given day; that detail sits with the local registrar and is not published centrally. If in doubt about where a specific matter is being heard, phone the office listed and ask.

← All provinces

Gauteng

All 53 magistrates' and regional courts offices on record for Gauteng. None of these have their own page on this site yet - a dedicated town page covering the courts, attorneys and firms in a specific town is planned separately. Phone the office directly to confirm before a visit.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an attorney for a Magistrate's Court matter?

Not always. Small claims, maintenance applications, and domestic violence protection orders are all designed to be workable without one, though an attorney is worth engaging for anything contested or where the other side is represented.

What is the difference between a Magistrate's Court and a Regional Court?

They share the same building network but a Regional Court hears more serious criminal charges and higher-value civil claims than a district-level Magistrate's Court is permitted to.