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This week in practice · 14–18 September 2026

Week of 14 September 2026 in practice

The dates that move this week, computed from the Uniform Rules, the Magistrates' Courts Rules, the Prescription Act and the Public Holidays Act by the same engine that runs AttorneyOS. Nothing here is written by hand; every line shows its rule. Verify against the file before you rely on it.

Public holidays in the next 8 weeks

The days a court-day count skips (Uniform Rule 1; Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994, including the Sunday rule).

DateHolidayWhen
Thu 24 Sep 2026Heritage DayNext week
Wed 4 Nov 2026Local government electionsIn 7 weeks

The prescription cliff

A debt that arose in the week shown prescribes this week. The last safe day to serve is the day before.

Arose betweenClaimLast safe day
14 Sep 2023 – 18 Sep 2023 Contract, delict or any other debt (general rule)3 years · Prescription Act s 11(d) Thu 17 Sep 2026
14 Sep 2023 – 18 Sep 2023 Road Accident Fund claim, driver or owner identified3 years · RAF Act s 23(1) Thu 17 Sep 2026
14 Sep 2024 – 18 Sep 2024 Road Accident Fund claim, hit-and-run (driver and owner unidentified)2 years · RAF Regulations Thu 17 Sep 2026
14 Sep 2020 – 18 Sep 2020 Bill of exchange, cheque, promissory note or notarial contract6 years · Prescription Act s 11(c) Thu 17 Sep 2026

Served or happened this Monday, 14 September: what the rules say

The first two steps each trigger sets running, counted in court days where the rule says court days, skipping the holidays above. The note shows where a last day fell on a day that is not a court day.

TriggerThenBy
Summons served — High CourtHigh Court action Notice of intention to defend due+10 court days · Uniform Rule 19(1) Tue 29 Sep 2026
Default judgment may be applied for if no notice to defend+1 court day · Uniform Rule 31(5)(a) Wed 30 Sep 2026
Summons served — Magistrate's CourtMagistrate's Court Notice of intention to defend due+10 court days · Magistrates' Courts Rule 13(1) Tue 29 Sep 2026
Default judgment may be requested if no notice to defend+1 court day · Magistrates' Courts Rule 12(1) Wed 30 Sep 2026
Notice of motion served (ordinary application)High Court application Earliest date the notice may require a notice of intention to oppose+5 court days · Uniform Rule 6(5)(d)(i) Mon 21 Sep 2026
Answering affidavit due if the notice to oppose arrives on its last day+15 court days · Uniform Rule 6(5)(d)(ii) Tue 13 Oct 2026
Notice of bar served — High CourtHigh Court action Pleading must be delivered or the party is ipso facto barred+5 court days · Uniform Rule 26 Mon 21 Sep 2026
Judgment or order granted — High CourtAppeals and rescission Application for leave to appeal due+15 court days · Uniform Rule 49(1)(b) Tue 6 Oct 2026
Rescission of a default judgment: 20 court days from knowledge of it (earliest case shown)+20 court days · Uniform Rule 31(2)(b) Tue 13 Oct 2026
Section 129 notice delivered to the consumer (National Credit Act)Statutory notices Earliest day proceedings may be instituted+10 business days · National Credit Act 34 of 2005, s130(1)(a) Tue 29 Sep 2026
Employee dismissed (CCMA referral)Labour Internal target: LRA 7.11 referral drafted and signed+20 days · Firm practiceFalls on a weekend. If the applicable rule excludes a last day that is not a court day, the next court day is Monday 5 October 2026. Sun 4 Oct 2026
CCMA referral due+30 days · Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995, s191(1)(b)(i) Wed 14 Oct 2026
CCMA arbitration award served (review)Labour Review application due in the Labour Court+42 days · Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995, s145(1) Mon 26 Oct 2026
Administrative decision made known (PAJA review)Statutory notices Review application due+180 days · Promotion of Administrative Justice Act 3 of 2000, s7(1)Falls on a weekend. If the applicable rule excludes a last day that is not a court day, the next court day is Monday 15 March 2027. Sat 13 Mar 2027
Debt against an organ of state became dueStatutory notices Written notice of intended legal proceedings must be served by+6 months · Institution of Legal Proceedings against certain Organs of State Act 40 of 2002, s3(2)(a)Falls on a weekend. Where the rule allows, the next court day is Monday 15 March 2027; do not rely on it without checking. Sun 14 Mar 2027

Another date, another trigger: the court days calculator and the prescription calculator run the same engine for your own dates.

What every practice owes

The dates that do not depend on any file.

ByWhat
Wed 30 Sep 2026Trust account reconciliation for August 2026The Council requires the section 86 trust account reconciled every month; the auditor looks for each one.
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Firms on AttorneyOS get these dates on their own files: the morning brief carries each one against the matter it belongs to.

Handed down in the last 14 days

From the Supreme Court of Appeal's list and the Constitutional Court's judgment pages, the ones that touch how a practice runs its files first. Each links to the court's own summary.

DateJudgmentCourt
Fri 11 Sep 2026 Mokasule N.O and Others v Botha N.O and Another[2026] ZACC 36 · the court's summary · our note Constitutional Court
Mon 31 Aug 2026 Zuma and Another v Chairperson of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations Regarding Efforts or Attempts Having Been Made to Stop the Investigation or Prosecution of Truth and Reconciliation Commission Cases and Others[2026] ZACC 34 · the court's summary Constitutional Court
Mon 7 Sep 2026 Barnard v Barnard[2026] ZASCA 115 · the court's summary Supreme Court of Appeal
Fri 11 Sep 2026 uMndeni weNkosi of Inkosi Luthuli v Executive Council, KwaZulu-Natal[2026] ZACC 35 · the court's summary Constitutional Court
Mon 7 Sep 2026 The Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service v Cornucopia Trust[2026] ZASCA 116 · the court's summary Supreme Court of Appeal
Thu 3 Sep 2026 Equal Education v MEC for Education, Western Cape Government and Others (298/2024); South African Democratic Teachers’ Union v MEC for Education, Western Cape and Others[2026] ZASCA 113 · the court's summary Supreme Court of Appeal
Fri 11 Sep 2026 The Dombo Community and Others v Tshakhuma Community Trust and Others[2026] ZASCA 118 · the court's summary Supreme Court of Appeal
Wed 9 Sep 2026 The Registrar of Animal Improvement v The Chianina Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa and Others[2026] ZASCA 117 · the court's summary Supreme Court of Appeal