KwaZulu-Natal High Court

KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court of South Africa
The Durban courthouse of the KwaZulu-Natal Division
Interactive map of KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court of South Africa
29°35′58″S 30°22′49″E / 29.5994°S 30.3804°E / -29.5994; 30.3804
Established1846 (Natal District Court)
JurisdictionKwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
LocationPietermaritzburg (main seat), Durban (local seat)
Coordinates29°35′58″S 30°22′49″E / 29.5994°S 30.3804°E / -29.5994; 30.3804
Composition methodPresidential appointment on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission
Authorised byChp. 8 of the Constitution; Superior Courts Act, 2013
Appeals to
Number of positions30
Judge President
CurrentlyThoba Poyo-Dlwati

The KwaZulu-Natal High Court (in full the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court of South Africa) is a superior court of law with general jurisdiction over the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The main seat of the division is at Pietermaritzburg, while a subordinate local seat at Durban has concurrent jurisdiction over the coastal region of the province. As of January 2024 the Judge President of the division is Thoba Poyo-Dlwati. The division has 30 permanent judges, with 15 (including the judge president and deputy judge president) seated in Pietermaritzburg, and 15 seated in Durban.

History

The Natalia Republic, established in 1839 by Voortrekkers, was annexed by Britain in 1843 and renamed Natal. In 1844 it was attached to the Cape Colony, and in 1846 a District Court for Natal was established with its seat in Pietermaritzburg. In 1856 Natal was detached from the Cape and became a separate colony, and in 1857 the District Court was replaced by a Supreme Court of Natal. When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, the Supreme Court of Natal became the Natal Provincial Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa; at the same time, the circuit court at Durban became the Durban & Coast Local Division. When the current Constitution of South Africa came into force in 1997, the courts became High Courts, and in 2009 they were renamed the KwaZulu-Natal High Courts. In 2013, in the restructuring brought about by the Superior Courts Act, the courts became two seats of a single KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court of South Africa.

After former South African President Jacob Zuma failed to appear in court on 4 February 2020, the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court of South Africa issued an arrest warrant against Zuma.

Seats

Map of the areas of jurisdiction of the seats of the division

Following the 2022 report of a committee on rationalising the jurisdiction of High Court divisions,, the areas of jurisdiction of the seats of the KwaZulu-Natal division were reorganised with effect from 1 July 2026.

CityCoordinatesJurisdictionFormer names
Pietermaritzburg (main seat) 29°35′58″S 30°22′49″E / 29.5994°S 30.3804°E / -29.5994; 30.3804 (KwaZulu-Natal Division, Pietermaritzburg) Exclusive jurisdiction over Amajuba District Municipality, Harry Gwala District Municipality, Umgungundlovu District Municipality, Uthukela District Municipality, and Umzinyathi District Municipality
Concurrent appeal jurisdiction over the whole KwaZulu-Natal province		 Natal District Court; Supreme Court of Natal; Natal Provincial Division; KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Pietermaritzburg
Durban 29°51′44″S 31°01′10″E / 29.8621°S 31.0194°E / -29.8621; 31.0194 (KwaZulu-Natal Division, Durban) eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, iLembe District Municipality, Ugu District Municipality, King Cetshwayo District Municipality, Umkhanyakude District Municipality, Zululand District Municipality Durban Circuit Court; Durban & Coast Local Division; KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Durban

Judges

As of January 2023, the permanent judges of the KwaZulu-Natal Division were:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Final Report of Phase 2 of the Committee on the Rationalisation of Areas under the Jurisdiction of the Divisions of the High Court of South Africa and Judicial Establishments (PDF) (Report). Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. October 2025. p. 36. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Legal centre of Natal". Pietermaritzburg Local History. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  3. ↑ Khan, F. W.; Heunis, T. L. (2003). "Chapter 1: The historical development of the Supreme Court of South Africa" (PDF). A review of the administrative recess system in the High Court. Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. p. 6.
  4. ↑ Swails, Brent. "Arrest warrant issued for former South Africa President Jacob Zuma". CNN. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  5. ↑ Interim Report of the Committee on the Rationalisation of the Areas under the Jurisdiction of the Divisions of the High Court of South Africa and Judicial Establishments (PDF) (Report). Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Superior Courts Act, 2023 (Act No. 10 of 2013): Determination of the areas under jurisdiction of the main and local seats of the Divisions of the High Court of South Africa." Government Notice No. 7648 of 2026. Government Gazette No. 54935, 2 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Kwazulu-Natal Division Judges". Judiciary. Retrieved 2024-01-06.