Trending Authorities — 2026-06

The South African judgments courts relied on in 2026-06, 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. MEC for Health, Eastern Cape v Mkhitha and Another (1221/2015) [2016] ZASCA 176 (25 November 2016) cited by 16 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 11 judgments
  3. 3. 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 10 judgments
  4. 4. Ramakatsa and Others v African National Congress and Another (724/2019) [2021] ZASCA 31 (31 March 2021) cited by 9 judgments
  5. 5. 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 9 judgments
  6. 6. Notshokovu v S (157/15) [2016] ZASCA 112 (7 September 2016) cited by 8 judgments
  7. 7. Zuma v Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector Including Organs of State and Others (CCT 52/21) [2021] ZACC 28; 2021 (11) BCLR 1263 (CC) (17 September 2021) cited by 7 judgments
  8. 8. Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others v Democratic Alliance In Re: Democratic Alliance v Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others (19577/09) [2016] ZAGPPHC 489 (24 June 2016) cited by 6 judgments
  9. 9. Basson v Chilwan and Others (332/1991) [1993] ZASCA 61; 1993 (3) SA 742 (AD); [1993] 2 All SA 373 (A) (17 May 1993) cited by 5 judgments
  10. 10. Cool Ideas 1186 CC v Hubbard and Another (CCT 99/13) [2014] ZACC 16; 2014 (4) SA 474 (CC); 2014 (8) BCLR 869 (CC) (5 June 2014) cited by 4 judgments

Treatment movers

  1. 1. MEC for Health, Eastern Cape v Mkhitha and Another (1221/2015) [2016] ZASCA 176 (25 November 2016) referred ×14, considered ×2
  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) referred ×7, considered ×3, approved ×1
  3. 3. 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 ×9, applied ×1
  4. 4. Ramakatsa and Others v African National Congress and Another (724/2019) [2021] ZASCA 31 (31 March 2021) referred ×7, considered ×3
  5. 5. 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, applied ×3
  6. 6. Notshokovu v S (157/15) [2016] ZASCA 112 (7 September 2016) referred ×8
  7. 7. Zuma v Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector Including Organs of State and Others (CCT 52/21) [2021] ZACC 28; 2021 (11) BCLR 1263 (CC) (17 September 2021) referred ×5, considered ×1, distinguished ×1
  8. 8. Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others v Democratic Alliance In Re: Democratic Alliance v Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others (19577/09) [2016] ZAGPPHC 489 (24 June 2016) referred ×5, applied ×1
  9. 9. Basson v Chilwan and Others (332/1991) [1993] ZASCA 61; 1993 (3) SA 742 (AD); [1993] 2 All SA 373 (A) (17 May 1993) referred ×3, considered ×2, followed ×1
  10. 10. Cool Ideas 1186 CC v Hubbard and Another (CCT 99/13) [2014] ZACC 16; 2014 (4) SA 474 (CC); 2014 (8) BCLR 869 (CC) (5 June 2014) considered ×4

Busiest courts

  1. 1. Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) 126 judgments
  2. 2. Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) 115 judgments
  3. 3. Western Cape High Court 65 judgments
  4. 4. Labour Court (Johannesburg) 26 judgments
  5. 5. Companies Tribunal 18 judgments
  6. 6. Labour Court (Cape Town) 18 judgments
  7. 7. North West High Court 17 judgments
  8. 8. Mpumalanga High Court (Middelburg) 13 judgments
  9. 9. Supreme Court of Appeal 13 judgments
  10. 10. Free State High Court 11 judgments

By practice area