What should I do if there is a warrant for my arrest?

The long answer

If there is a warrant for your arrest, you should report to your nearest police station immediately. 

Once a warrant for arrest is issued by a judge or magistrate, it remains valid until it is executed (i.e. the person is arrested) or is formally withdrawn by the court. There is no short term “expiry date” on an arrest warrant. The right to prosecute most offences in South Africa only lapses after a period of 20 years from the time the offence was committed. So an offence that happened in 2024 is well within the 20-year period. 

For certain serious crimes like murder, rape or treason, there is no time limit at all. 

Simon Dippenaar & Associates (SDA) says that even if you have not committed an offence, but have received a summons to appear in court, failing to appear in court is in itself an offence. They advise that if you have missed the first court date, you should go immediately to the magistrate’s court and speak to the clerk. The clerk will find your details on the system and refer the matter to the magistrate. Depending on the circumstances, the magistrate will either forgive your failure to attend and set a new date, or issue you with a fine. SDA warns that whatever the case is, you should not wait for the police to arrive at your door and arrest you. 

Wishing you the best,
Athalie