Divorce now less costly and easier through the Magistrate’s Courts

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has amended the Magistrate’s Courts Act of 1944 giving powers to Regional Courts to now deal with divorce cases as well. President Jacob Zuma announced the commencement of the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act which came into effect on 9th August 2010, the National Woman’s Day. The Regional Courts were established in 1952 to deal with divorces, serious criminal offences and mete out harsher penalties. The amendments increase access to justice to members of the public, in particular, women and children who go to courts daily for the resolution of family related disputes relating to divorce; maintenance; adoption; and matters relating to custody of minor children.

These amendments are good news for people utilising the eDivorce process, a DIY online divorce service at http://www.edivorce.co.za for the mere reason that it offers parties in a divorce action the opportunity to conclude their divorce in their area of residence, faster and with wider access to the courts. Previously divorces in South Africa were handled by just a few Family Courts and the High Court and through the implementation of the new system; it will be not only more cost effective but also quicker as a result of the spread in the workload.

BENEFITS OF THE AMENDMENT

Reduced time of finalisation of cases:

• There are now 62 more Regional courts to deal with same workload that the 3 former divorce courts.
• This will assist in reducing case backlogs both at the High Courts and Magistrates Courts.

Reduced Costs:

• Proceedings in the High Courts are complex to the extent that attorneys and advocates are usually instructed resulting in high litigation costs.
• Regional courts have a reduced scale of costs in relation to the High Court, and simplified proceedings which include the use of mediation in resolving civil disputes.
• Registrars and assistant registrars appointed at each regional court to provide assistance to member of the public.

The Courts are located in the diagram below:

Province	New seat of civilRegional Court	Areas in respect of which the civil Regional Court has jurisdiction
Eastern Cape	East London	East London, Komgha and Mdantsane
	Grahamstown	Albany, Adelaide, Alexandria, Bathurst, Bedford and Somerset East.
	Graaff-Reinet	Graaff-Reinet, Aberdeen, Cradock, Hofmeyr, Jansenville, Middelburg, Pearston and Willowmore.
	King William’sTown	King William’s Town, Cathcart, Fort Beaufort, Keiskammahoek, Middledrift, Peddie, Stutterheim, Victoria East andZwelitsha.
	Mthatha	Umtata, Bizana, Butterworth (Gcuwa), Elliot, Elliotdale (Xhora), Engcobo, Flagstaff (Siphaqeni) , Idutywa, Kentani (Centane), Libode, Lusikisiki, Maclear, Matatiele, Mount Ayliff (Maxesibeni), Mount Fletcher, Mount Frere (Kwabacha) , Mqanduli, Nqamakwe, Ngqeleni, Port St Johns (Umzimvubu), Qumbu, Tabankulu, Tsolo, Tsomo and Willowvale (Gatyana)
	Port Elizabeth	Port Elizabeth, Kirkwood, Motherwell and Uitenhage.
	Queenstown	Queenstown, Albert, Aliwal North, Barkley East, Glen Grey (Cacadu) (Lady Frere), Herschel, Hewu, Indwe, Lady Grey, Mo;teno, Mpofu (Seymor) (Stockentrom), Ntabethemba, Sterkstroom, Steynsburg, St Marks (Cofimvaba), Tarka, Venterstad, Wodehouse and Xalanga (Cala).
	Humansdorp	Humansdorp, Hankey, Joubertina, and Steytlerville.
Free State	Bethlehem	Bethlehem, Ficksburg, Fouriesburg, Frankfort, Harrismith, Lindley, Reitz, Senekal, Villiers, Vrede and Witsieshoek.
	Bloemfontein	Bloemfontein , Bethulie, Boshof, Botshabelo, Brandfort, Clocolan, Dewetsdorp, Edenburg, Excelsior , Fauresmith, Jacobsdal, Jagersfontein, Koffirfontein, Ladybrand, Marquard, Petrusburg, Philippolis, Reddersburg, Rouxville, Smithfield, Trompsburg, Thaba Nchu, Wepener and Zastron
	Kroonstad	Kroonstad, Heilbron, Koppies, Parys, Sasolburg, Viljoenskroon and Vredefort.
	Welkom	Welkom, Bothaville, Bultfontein, Hennenman, Hoopstad, Odendaalsrus, Theunissen, Ventersburg, Virginia, Wesselsbron and Winburg.
Gauteng	Ekangala	Ekangala, Bronkhorstspruit and Cullinan.
	Johannesburg	Johannesburg. [Can also go to Kliptown Regional Court]
	Kempton Park	Kempton Park, Benoni, Boksburg, Daveyton and Tembisa.
	Kliptown (Canalso go to Johannesburg Regional Court)	Armadale, Chiawelo, Comptonville, Devland, Dhlamini, Diepkloof, Dobsonville, Dobsonville Gardens, Doornkop, Dube, Emdeni, Jabavu, Jabavu Central Western, Jabulani, Klipriviersoog, Klipspruit, Klipspruit West, Lenaron, A.H., Lougherin A.H., Lufhereng, Mapetla, Meadowlands, Meredale, Mofolo Central, Mofolo North, Mofolo South, Molapo, Moletsane, Moroka, Moroka North, Naledi, Naturena, Nomzamo, Noordgesig, Orlando, Orlando East, Orlando Ekhaya, Orlando West, Phiri, Pimville Ext & Zones, Power Park, Protea City, Protea Glen, Protea North, Protea North Ext.1, Protea North Ext.9, Protea South Ext.1, Racecourse, Riversdale, Senaoane, Stesa A.H, Slovoville, Slovoville Ext.1, Tladi, Zola, Zola Ext.1 and Zondi.
	Oberholzer	Oberholzer and Westonaria.
	Pretoria	Pretoria, Atteridgeville, Mamelodi, Soshanguve and Wonderboom.
	Randburg	Randburg and Alexandra.
	Roodepoort	Roodepoort, Krugersdorp and Randfontein.
	Germiston	Germiston and Alberton.
	Vereeniging	Vereeniging, Meyerton and Vanderbijlpark.
	Springs	Springs, Brakpan, Heidelberg and Nigel.
KwaZulu-Natal	Durban	Durban, Chatsworth, Inanda, Lower Tugela, Ndwedwe, Pinetown, Umbumbulu, Umlazi and Ntuzuma.
	Empangeni	Empangeni (Lower Umfolozi), Eshowe, Hlabisa, Kranskop, Mahlabatini, Mapumulo, Mtonjaneni,Mtunzini and Nkandhla.
	Newcastle	Newcastle, Dannhauser, Dundee, Estcourt, Glencoe, Klip River, Madadeni, Msinga, Utrecht and Weenen.
	Vryheid	Vryheid, Babanango, Ingwavuma, Ngotshe, Nongoma, Nqutu, Paulpietersburg, Piet Retief and Ubombo.
	Pietermaritzburg	Pietermaritzburg, Bergville, Camperdown, Impendle, Lion’s River, Mooi River, New Hanover, Polela, Richmond, Umvoti and Underberg.
	Port Shepstone	Port Shepstone, Alfred, Ixopo, Mount Currie, Umzimkulu and Umzinto.
Limpopo	Giyani	Giyani, Bolobedu, Malamulele, Sekgosese, Tshitale and Vuwani.
	Lebowakgomo	Thabamoopo.
	Sekhukhune	Sekhukhuneland, Nebo and Praktiseer
	Modimolle	Waterberg, Ellisras, Northam, Phalala, Thabazimbi and Warmbaths.
	Polokwane	Pietersburg, Bochum, Mankweng, Mokerong, Potgietersrus and Seshego.
	Tzaneen	Letaba, Lulekani, Namakgale, Naphuno, Ritavi and Phalaborwa.
	Thohoyandou	Thohoyandou, Dzanani, Hlanganani, Messina, Mutale, Sibasa, Soutpansberg, Tiyani and Tshilwavhisiku.
Mpumalanga	Eerstehoek (Elukwatini)	Eerstehoek, Carolina, Ermelo, Piet Retief and Wakkerstroom.
	Evander	Highveld Ridge, Amersfoort, Balfour, Bethal, Delmas, Standerton and Volksrust.
	KwaMhlanga	Kwamhlanga, Mathanjana, Mbibana, Mdutjana and Mkobola.
	Middelburg	Middelburg, Groblersdal, Kriel, Moutse and Witbank.
	Mbombela	Nelspruit, Barberton, Belfast, Lydenburg, Mapulaneng, Mhala, Nkomazi, Nsikazi, Pilgrim’s Rest, Waterval-Boven and White River.
Northern Cape	De Aar	De Aar, Britstown, Carnarvon, Colesberg, Hanover, Noupoort, Philipstown, Richmond and Victoria West.
	Kimberley	Kimberley, Barkly West, Hartswater, Douglas, Hopetown, Jan Kempdorp and Warrenton.
	Springbok	Calvinia, Fraserburg, Garies, Namaqualand, Port Nolloth, Sutherland and Williston.
	Upington	Gordonia, Groblershoop, Hay, Kakamas, Kathu, Keimoes, Kenhardt, Kuruman, Olifantshoek, Pofadder, Postmasburg and Prieska.
North West	Brits	Brits and Warmbaths.
	Ga-Rankuwa	Odi and Pretoria.
	Klerksdorp	Klerksdorp, Bloemhof, Christiana, Schweizer-Reneke and Wolmaransstad.
	Mmabatho	Molopo (Mafikeng), Atamelang, Ditsobotla, Mafeking, Lehurutshe, Lichtenburg, Mafeking, Ottosdal and Zeerust
	Potchefstroom	Potchefstroom, Coligny and Ventersdorp.
	Rustenburg	Rustenburg, Bafokeng, Koster, Madikwe, Mankwe, Marico and Swartruggens.
	Temba	Moretele
	Vryburg	Vryburg, Delareyville, Ganyesa, Kudumane (Tlhaping-Tlharo), Kuruman and Taung.
Western Cape	Atlantis	Atlantis, Clanwilliam, Hopefield, Malmesbury, Moorreesburg, Piketberg, Van Rhynsdorp, Vredenburg and Vredendal.
	Bellville	Bellville, Bluedowns and Kuils River.
	Cape Town	Cape and Goodwood.
	George	George, Heidelberg, Knysna, Mossel Bay, Riversdale, Thembaletu and Uniondale.
	Mitchells Plain	Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha.
	Oudtshoorn	Oudtshoorn, Beaufort West, Calitzdorp, Ladismith, Murraysburg and Prince Albert.
	Somerset West	Somerset West, Bredasdorp, Caledon, Grabouw, Hermanus, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Strand,Tulbagh, Wellington and Wolseley.
	Worcester	Worcester, Bonnievale, Ceres, Laingsburg, Montagu, Robertson and Swellendam.
	Wynberg	Wynberg, Athlone, Phillipi and Simon’s Town.

Compiled by Bertus Preller

Family Law Attorney

Bertus Preller & Associates Inc.

info@divorceattorney.co.za

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• March 22, 2011