The Gauteng Division of the High Court is under severe strain, with civil trial dates now being allocated as far ahead as 2031. This extensive backlog has led the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) to warn that the situation is “self-evidently unacceptable and intolerable” and a violation of the constitutional right to access the courts. The directive introducing mandatory mediation was presented as a response to this crisis, aiming to ensure that only cases truly requiring judicial attention reach the courts.