ZA — Country Profile

South Africa

4TOTAL
4OFFICIAL SOURCES
3TOPIC AREAS
Court Case4
Generative AIJudicial & Law EnforcementLiability & Accountability
Court Case✓ Official

Roux v. van Greunen

Pro Se Litigant used Unidentified in proceedings before the High Court. Fabricated: Case Law | Relied on a non-existent judgment 'Matshoba and Another v Acting Master of the High Court, Johannesburg and Others' (applicant produced a 'compiled' Word document); court could not locate the reported or neutral citation and concluded it was an AI hallucination.

Court: High CourtParty: Pro Se LitigantTool: Unidentified
29 January 2026Judicial & Law EnforcementGenerative AILiability & Accountability
↗ Link available
Court Case✓ Official

Northbound Processing v. South African Diamond Regulator

Lawyer used Legal Genius in proceedings before the High Court. Fabricated: Case Law | Non-existent case cited to support interim mandamus propositions; court confirmed it does not exist and counsel later admitted AI hallucination. Outcome: Referral to the Legal Practice Council for investigation.

Court: High CourtParty: LawyerTool: Legal Genius
⚠ Professional sanction imposed
30 June 2025Judicial & Law EnforcementGenerative AILiability & Accountability
↗ Link available
Court Case✓ Official

Mavundla v. MEC

Lawyer appeared before the High Court. Fabricated: Case Law | Remove reference to Municipality of the City of Cape Town v Aon South Africa (Pty) Ltd as it does not exist. Outcome: Leave for appel dismissed with costs; referral to Legal Practice Council.

Court: High CourtParty: Lawyer
⚠ Professional sanction imposed
8 January 2025Judicial & Law EnforcementGenerative AILiability & Accountability
↗ Link available
Court Case✓ Official

Parker v. Forsyth NNO and Others

Lawyer used ChatGPT in proceedings before the Magistrates' Court. Fabricated: Case Law | Plaintiff's attorneys cited this as authority that a body corporate can sue for defamation; the court found after directed research that it does not exist and counsel conceded it was AI-generated. Outcome: Plaintiff’s claim dismissed; punitive costs awarded on an attorney-and-client scale for specific period due to AI-generated hallucinated case law.

Court: Magistrates' CourtParty: LawyerTool: ChatGPT
29 June 2023Judicial & Law EnforcementGenerative AILiability & Accountability
↗ Link available