The Deputy Judge President (“DJP”) of the Johannesburg High Court published a further bulletin of lead times for the set down of matters for hearing by the Johannesburg High Court as at 30 May 2025.
Currently, the lead times (excluding recess) to set matters down are as follows:
- Full court civil appeals: 1 to 2 terms subject to availability on the roll;
- Magistrates' Court civil appeals: 1 term from the moment of applying for a date;
- Opposed motion roll matters: 25 weeks with dates being allocated after 9 February 2026;
- Insolvency court roll: 4 weeks with dates being allocated after 21 July 2025;
- Any application that requires a day or more to be heard (namely, matters designated for the special motions roll): 4 terms with dates being allocated after 28 January 2026;
- Unopposed matters: 4 weeks with dates being allocated after 22 July 2025;
- Special interlocutory roll: 2 weeks with dates being allocated after 11 June 2025;
- Unopposed divorces (which are heard on Fridays): 7 weeks with dates being allocated after 15 August 2025;
- Settlement court roll: 1 week with dates being allocated after 12 June 2025;
- Admissions: 6 weeks with dates being allocated after 1 August 2025;
- “Y” case trial roll (involving the RAF, PRASA and MEC): 8 months with dates being allocated after 30 November 2025;
- RAF default judgment trial roll: 2 months with dates being allocated after 5 August 2025;
- Non “Y” trials:
- Involving the Minister of Police: Approximately 28 months with dates being allocated after 17 November 2026;
- Divorce matters: Approximately 5 months with dates being allocated after 2 March 2026; and
- Other trials: Approximately 20 months with dates being allocated after 16 November 2026;
- Special commercial trials: 4 terms with dates being allocated after 18 May 2026;
- Long duration trials: 8 terms with dates being allocated after 30 November 2026;
- Family court:
- Unopposed matters: Dates being allocated after 17 June 2025; and
- Unopposed matters: Dates being allocated after 21 July 2025;
- Criminal trials: 2 months;
- Full court criminal appeals: 5 to 6 months;
- Magistrates' Court criminal appeals: 4 months; and
- Special tax court: 1 term.
The introduction of the Gauteng mediation directive and protocol has resulted in a re-composition of the civil trial rolls. This has resulted in a significant decrease in time in certain matters. For example, for all trials (excluding RAF trials), the waiting period has been reduced from dates being allocated in 2032 to dates now being allocated in January 2027, and RAF trials being allocated dates in January 2026. Trials on the roll in 2025 and 2026 remain on the roll. However, parties are required to produce a mediator's report, which sets out the outstanding issues fit for trial.
In respect of applications, there has been a significant decrease in the lead time for unopposed motions as a result of the “big bang” week in June 2025, during which 4,500 unopposed matters will be determined. The Honourable Deputy Judge President also expects there to be a reduction in waiting times for opposed motion dates once unripe cases are eliminated from the roll. The aim is for opposed motions to be determined within a 10 to 12-week period.
The Honourable Deputy Judge President of the Johannesburg High Court said that the state of workflow in the Johannesburg High Court is as a result of the cooperation of legal practitioners. We remind legal practitioners that they have a duty to assist the court in its efforts to reduce these lead times, and experienced practitioners should be encouraged to make themselves available to act as judges in order to help reduce the significant backlogs at the Johannesburg High Court.
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