Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa

Supreme Court of Appeal
of South Africa

Building of the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein
Established 1910 (Appellate Division)
Country South Africa
Location Bloemfontein
Coordinates 29°06′55″S 26°12′59″E / 29.1154°S 26.2163°E / -29.1154; 26.2163Coordinates: 29°06′55″S 26°12′59″E / 29.1154°S 26.2163°E / -29.1154; 26.2163
Composition method Presidential appointment on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission
Authorized by Chapter 8 of the Constitution; Superior Courts Act, 2013
Decisions are appealed to Constitutional Court
Number of positions 22
Website www.justice.gov.za/sca/
President
Currently Lex Mpati
Since 15 August 2008
Deputy President
Currently Mandisa Maya
Since 23 September 2015
South Africa
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
South Africa

The Supreme Court of Appeal or SCA (formerly known as the Appellate Division) is an appellate court in South Africa. It is located in Bloemfontein.

History

On the creation of the Union of South Africa from four British colonies in 1910, the supreme courts of the colonies became provincial divisions of the new Supreme Court of South Africa, and the Appellate Division was created as a purely appellate court superior to the provincial divisions. It was the seat of some of the country's most outstanding judges including Innes CJ, Watermeyer CJ, Galgut JA, Wessels CJ and Schreiner JA.

In 1994 the Constitutional Court of South Africa was created with jurisdiction superior to the Appellate Division, but it could hear only in constitutional matters. The Appellate Division therefore remained the highest court in non-constitutional matters. In 1997 the Appellate Division became the Supreme Court of Appeal and was given constitutional jurisdiction, though the system of two apex courts remained: the Constitutional Court was the country's highest court in constitutional matters, but the SCA was the highest court in non-constitutional matters. However, the Constitutional Court took a broad reading of its jurisdiction, and in August 2013 the position was regularised by an amendment to the South African Constitution which gave the Constitutional Court general jurisdiction.

Judges

The court is composed of a President, a Deputy President, and the number of ordinary Judges of Appeal determined in terms of an Act of Parliament; at present there are 22 positions on the court.[1] Cases before the court are generally heard by panels of five judges.

Judges are appointed by the President of South Africa on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission. Judges of Appeal are cited in judgments with the surname of the judge followed by "JA". (The President and Deputy President are cited with a "P" and "DP" respectively, and acting judges are cited with "AJA".)

As of 22 June 2016 the Judges of Appeal are:[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About". Supreme Court of Appeal. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "Judges of the Supreme Court of Appeal". Supreme Court of Appeal. 8 October 2012.
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