Courts & Justice

How to Apply for Legal Aid in South Africa

Legal help should not depend on the size of your wallet. Here is how to apply to Legal Aid SA, who qualifies, and how the means test works.

Step by step

What Legal Aid SA is

Legal Aid South Africa is an independent statutory body, funded by the State, that provides legal advice and representation to people who cannot afford a private lawyer. It was established by the Legal Aid South Africa Act of 2014 and operates justice centres and satellite offices in all nine provinces. CluedUp is an independent explainer and is not Legal Aid SA, a court or the government. This is general information, not legal advice; for help with your own matter, contact Legal Aid SA directly.

Who can get help

Legal Aid SA assists with both criminal and civil matters. On the criminal side, that includes being arrested, detained or charged with an offence. On the civil side, it covers problems such as evictions, labour and employment disputes, and family and children’s matters. Some commercial disputes fall outside what it can take on. Children are given particular priority, because the law entitles a child to legal representation in matters that affect them.

The means test

Because resources are limited, Legal Aid SA uses a means test to decide who qualifies. The test looks at your gross monthly income after tax and the value of your net assets, and compares them against set thresholds, with separate limits for a single applicant and for a household. The amounts are reviewed and adjusted each year, usually around 1 April, in line with inflation, so any figure you read online may be out of date. Always confirm the current thresholds on legal-aid.co.za or at a justice centre before assuming you do or do not qualify.

How to apply

The quickest first step is the toll-free advice line on 0800 110 110, open Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm, where you can get free legal advice. If you cannot get through, send a Please Call Me to 079 835 7179 and a staff member will call you back. To apply for representation, visit your nearest justice centre with your ID, proof of income such as payslips and bank statements, and any documents about your case – a summons, charge sheet or eviction notice, for example. A Legal Aid officer works through the means test with you and, if you qualify, assigns a lawyer.

If you do not qualify

If your income or assets are above the limit, you can still phone the advice line for general guidance, and staff can point you to other free services such as university law clinics and non-profit advice offices. No one is turned away without being told where else to look for help.

Keeping the service free

Legal aid is free to everyone who qualifies. Legal Aid SA will never ask you to pay to have an application approved or a lawyer assigned. If someone presents themselves as an agent and asks for money to speed up or guarantee your case, they are not from Legal Aid SA. You can report them to the organisation’s Fraud and Ethics Hotline on 0800 153 728.

CluedUp is an independent guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Fees, links and steps can change — always confirm on the official portal before you act. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.