The lower courts of South Africa’s structure are the Magistrates’ Court, Divorce Courts, Small Claims Court, Courts of Chiefs and Headmen, and Short Process Courts. The Magistrates’ Courts have both civil and criminal jurisdictions. This court is similar to that of the District Courts of the United States. Regional Magistrate Courts have jurisdiction in all matters except treason and District Magistrate Courts in all matters except treason, murder and rape. Violent crimes such as murder and rape have some of the lowest conviction rates, while shoplifting, fraud and drug related cases have the highest conviction rates. Because South Africa’s democracy is not yet established and still emerging, it is increasingly affected by high levels of violent crime. The criminal procedure will first pass through the Magistrate Courts, depending on the degree of the crime, and will usually come to a decision. More serious crimes are presided by the High Courts.

The superior court structure consists of the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court of Appeal (highest appellate court in all except constitutional matters), the High Courts (equivalent to the U.S. District Court). South African superior structure also consists of Labour Appeal Court and the Labour Court. They have

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