Trending Authorities — 2026-04

The South African judgments courts relied on in 2026-04, computed from the Semantis AI citation graph.

As computed on 20 July 2026. Counts are distinct citing judgments over resolved citations within the Semantis corpus (~57,000+ judgments), windowed on the citing judgment's date. Recently delivered judgments may still be processing, so the latest weeks can undercount.

Most cited — all time

  1. 1. Plascon-Evans Paints (TVL) Ltd. v Van Riebeck Paints (Pty) Ltd. (53/84) [1984] ZASCA 51; [1984] 2 All SA 366 (A); 1984 (3) SA 623; 1984 (3) SA 620 (21 May 1984) cited by 1655 judgments
  2. 2. Natal Joint Municipal Pension Fund v Endumeni Municipality (920/2010) [2012] ZASCA 13; [2012] 2 All SA 262 (SCA); 2012 (4) SA 593 (SCA) (16 March 2012) cited by 708 judgments
  3. 3. Bato Star Fishing (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and Others (CCT 27/03) [2004] ZACC 15; 2004 (4) SA 490 (CC); 2004 (7) BCLR 687 (CC) (12 March 2004) cited by 564 judgments
  4. 4. National Director of Public Prosecutions v Zuma (573/08) [2009] ZASCA 1; 2009 (2) SA 277 (SCA) ; 2009 (1) SACR 361 (SCA) ; 2009 (4) BCLR 393 (SCA) ; [2009] 2 All SA 243 (SCA) (12 January 2009) cited by 563 judgments
  5. 5. Wightman t/a J W Construction v Headfour (Pty) Ltd and Another (66/2007) [2008] ZASCA 6; [2008] 2 All SA 512 (SCA); 2008 (3) SA 371 (SCA) (10 March 2008) cited by 509 judgments
  6. 6. Fakie NO v CCII Systems (Pty) Ltd (653/04) [2006] ZASCA 52; 2006 (4) SA 326 (SCA) (31 March 2006) cited by 488 judgments
  7. 7. Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of South Africa and Another: In re Ex Parte President of the Republic of South Africa and Others (CCT31/99) [2000] ZACC 1; 2000 (2) SA 674; 2000 (3) BCLR 241 (25 February 2000) cited by 451 judgments
  8. 8. Affordable Medicines Trust and Others v Minister of Health and Another (CCT27/04) [2005] ZACC 3; 2006 (3) SA 247 (CC); 2005 (6) BCLR 529 (CC) (11 March 2005) cited by 357 judgments
  9. 9. Biowatch Trust v Registrar Genetic Resources and Others (CCT 80/08) [2009] ZACC 14; 2009 (6) SA 232 (CC) ; 2009 (10) BCLR 1014 (CC) (3 June 2009) cited by 348 judgments
  10. 10. S v Makwanyane and Another (CCT3/94) [1995] ZACC 3; 1995 (6) BCLR 665; 1995 (3) SA 391; [1996] 2 CHRLD 164; 1995 (2) SACR 1 (6 June 1995) cited by 337 judgments

Most cited this period

  1. 1. East Rock Trading 7 (Pty) Ltd and Another v Eagle Valley Granite (Pty) Ltd and Others (11/33767) [2011] ZAGPJHC 196 (23 September 2011) cited by 8 judgments
  2. 2. Ramakatsa and Others v African National Congress and Another (724/2019) [2021] ZASCA 31 (31 March 2021) cited by 7 judgments
  3. 3. MEC for Health, Eastern Cape v Mkhitha and Another (1221/2015) [2016] ZASCA 176 (25 November 2016) cited by 7 judgments
  4. 4. Trencon Construction (Pty) Limited v Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited and Another (CCT198/14) [2015] ZACC 22; 2015 (5) SA 245 (CC); 2015 (10) BCLR 1199 (CC) (26 June 2015) cited by 6 judgments
  5. 5. Van Wyk v Unitas Hospital and Another (CCT 12/07) [2007] ZACC 24; 2008 (2) SA 472 (CC); 2008 (4) BCLR 442 (CC) (6 December 2007) cited by 6 judgments
  6. 6. Grootboom v National Prosecuting Authority and Another (CCT 08/13) [2013] ZACC 37; 2014 (2) SA 68 (CC); 2014 (1) BCLR 65 (CC); [2014] 1 BLLR 1 (CC); (2014) 35 ILJ 121 (CC) (21 October 2013) cited by 6 judgments
  7. 7. Plascon-Evans Paints (TVL) Ltd. v Van Riebeck Paints (Pty) Ltd. (53/84) [1984] ZASCA 51; [1984] 2 All SA 366 (A); 1984 (3) SA 623; 1984 (3) SA 620 (21 May 1984) cited by 6 judgments
  8. 8. University of Johannesburg v Auckland Park Theological Seminary and Another (CCT 70/20) [2021] ZACC 13; 2021 (8) BCLR 807 (CC) ; 2021 (6) SA 1 (CC) (11 June 2021) cited by 5 judgments
  9. 9. Natal Joint Municipal Pension Fund v Endumeni Municipality (920/2010) [2012] ZASCA 13; [2012] 2 All SA 262 (SCA); 2012 (4) SA 593 (SCA) (16 March 2012) cited by 5 judgments
  10. 10. Van Wyk v S , Galela v S (20273/2014 , 20448/2014) [2014] ZASCA 152; [2014] 4 All SA 708 (SCA); 2015 (1) SACR 584 (SCA) (29 September 2014) cited by 4 judgments

Treatment movers

  1. 1. East Rock Trading 7 (Pty) Ltd and Another v Eagle Valley Granite (Pty) Ltd and Others (11/33767) [2011] ZAGPJHC 196 (23 September 2011) referred ×8
  2. 2. Ramakatsa and Others v African National Congress and Another (724/2019) [2021] ZASCA 31 (31 March 2021) referred ×6, applied ×1
  3. 3. MEC for Health, Eastern Cape v Mkhitha and Another (1221/2015) [2016] ZASCA 176 (25 November 2016) referred ×6, considered ×1
  4. 4. Van Wyk v Unitas Hospital and Another (CCT 12/07) [2007] ZACC 24; 2008 (2) SA 472 (CC); 2008 (4) BCLR 442 (CC) (6 December 2007) referred ×5, approved ×1
  5. 5. Grootboom v National Prosecuting Authority and Another (CCT 08/13) [2013] ZACC 37; 2014 (2) SA 68 (CC); 2014 (1) BCLR 65 (CC); [2014] 1 BLLR 1 (CC); (2014) 35 ILJ 121 (CC) (21 October 2013) referred ×5, considered ×1
  6. 6. Plascon-Evans Paints (TVL) Ltd. v Van Riebeck Paints (Pty) Ltd. (53/84) [1984] ZASCA 51; [1984] 2 All SA 366 (A); 1984 (3) SA 623; 1984 (3) SA 620 (21 May 1984) referred ×6
  7. 7. Trencon Construction (Pty) Limited v Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited and Another (CCT198/14) [2015] ZACC 22; 2015 (5) SA 245 (CC); 2015 (10) BCLR 1199 (CC) (26 June 2015) referred ×3, approved ×1, considered ×1
  8. 8. University of Johannesburg v Auckland Park Theological Seminary and Another (CCT 70/20) [2021] ZACC 13; 2021 (8) BCLR 807 (CC) ; 2021 (6) SA 1 (CC) (11 June 2021) referred ×4, considered ×1
  9. 9. Van Wyk v S , Galela v S (20273/2014 , 20448/2014) [2014] ZASCA 152; [2014] 4 All SA 708 (SCA); 2015 (1) SACR 584 (SCA) (29 September 2014) referred ×2, applied ×1, considered ×1
  10. 10. Bernert v Absa Bank Ltd (CCT 37/10) [2010] ZACC 28; Bernert v ABSA Bank Ltd 2011 (4) BCLR 329 (CC) ; 2011 (3) SA 92 (CC) (9 December 2010) referred ×4

Busiest courts

  1. 1. Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) 133 judgments
  2. 2. Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) 105 judgments
  3. 3. Western Cape High Court 44 judgments
  4. 4. North West High Court 31 judgments
  5. 5. Free State High Court 30 judgments
  6. 6. Labour Court (Johannesburg) 30 judgments
  7. 7. Supreme Court of Appeal 22 judgments
  8. 8. Labour Court (Cape Town) 12 judgments
  9. 9. Companies Tribunal 10 judgments
  10. 10. Eastern Cape High Court (Makhanda) 10 judgments

By practice area