Household access to court

Over four-fifths (84,4%) of household indicated they know the location of the nearest magistrate courts.  More than three-fifths (61,4%) of households took less than 30 minutes to reach the nearest magistrate courts compared to only 37,5% in 2018/19.  Less than a tenth (9,5%) of the households have been to court in the 12 months preceding the survey period. This value remained low from 9,4% in 2018/19, slightly decreased to 8,9% in 2023/24 and increased to 9,5% in 2024/25.

About 45% (44,8%) households were satisfied with how courts generally deal with perpetrators of crime. Most households in 2024/25 indicated that courts passed sentences that were appropriate to the crime (48,7%), followed by courts have a high rate of convictions (22,7%) and that courts are not corrupt (21,3%).

Individual Access to courts

Individuals 16 years and older who have been to court in the 12 months preceding the survey, decreased from 5,0% in 2018/19 to 4,5% in 2024/25. The main reason individuals stated for being to courts in the 12 months preceding the survey in both reporting periods was to support a family member or a friend, this decreased from 29,2% in 2018/19 to 23,0% in 2024/25. Paralegal, self – representation, and private lawyer representation services were most preferred by those who went to court as the person who brought the charges/litigant in 2024/25. Legal Aid lawyers had the highest percentage (89,3%) of people who were satisfied with the service in 2018/19. However, in 2024/25 people who were represented by private lawyers had the highest percentage at 94,8%.

Only about one-third (33,9%) of individuals aged 16 years and older knew about the National Prosecution Authority (NPA). Those who knew what the NPA was, said the main function of the NPA was to prosecute accused persons (48,7%) followed by those who said it is to assist police in police investigations (25,8%) and present evidence in court (13,1%). Individuals 16 years and older indicated that prosecutors should work closer with SAPS as the main thing the NPA should do to improve their services.

Correctional Services

Only 3,1% of households have been victims of crime where the perpetrator was incarcerated in 2024/25 reporting period. Approximately 45% of victims were not informed about the parole hearings while only 19,1% did not attend these hearings. The primary reason indicated by most households (21,7%) for not attending the parole hearings was their reluctance to enter prison facilities. Furthermore, 35,1% of households were satisfied with how correctional services granted parole for offenders, while 43,5% were satisfied with the rehabilitation services. Most households (82,2%) were comfortable to welcome a former prisoner into their place of worship.