Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng says political parties should use the courts as a final recourse for their internal "family matters".

Speaking at the Cape Town Press Club, the Chief Justice said: "If we push our courts to the point where it literally becomes [a] raw political player, we [are] exposing it to criticism that could have been avoided."

The African National Congress in the North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have all recently headed to court over internal election disputes.

"We owe it to this nation. We owe it to this democracy… to make sure that we are very careful about the responsibilities we impose on our courts," Mogoeng said.

He called on South Africans to speak out when there are "unwarranted attacks on the judiciary".

"We owe it to sustain and protect our institutions.

"The court is not the enemy of democracy, it is an integral part of democracy."