The year 2017 was one of the busiest for courts as many South Africans, including celebrities, found themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Sunday World has reported on a number of stories this year in which celebrities and politicians found themselves at odds with the law.

Other popular figures also found themselves losing their precious possessions because they could not keep up with their financial obligations.

At the top of the list of those who can't wait to see the back of 2017 is kwaito king and 999 Music boss Arthur Mafokate.

Mafokate is facing a trial for assault after he allegedly beat up his former artist and girlfriend Cici, whose real name is Busisiwe Thwala. Cici suffered a broken pelvic bone during the alleged assault.

Like Mafokate, Kaizer Chiefs legend Marks Maponyane will also find it hard to forget the year 2017.

Maponyane was found guilty of assaulting his wife in a case that exposed intimate details about his sex life.

According to his wife Sylvia, the couple had not had sex for four years. She had also claimed that Maponyane horded pictures of naked women on his phone.

Also looking forward to the new year is kwaito star Sipho Charles Ndlovu, aka Brickz, who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in jail for raping his under-aged niece.

Nelson Mandela's grandson Mbuso Mandela has spent nine days in prison for failing to appear in court over non-payment of papgeld.

Police picked him up from his family home in Houghton, Joburg, and kept him in the cells for a long spell.

Isibaya actor Pallance Dladla, who plays hunk Jabulani Zungu in the popular Mzansi Magic soapie, was arrested and detained after he was found in possession of dagga at Montecasino in Fourways, in the north of Joburg.

On the political front, EFF leader Julius Malema's homeboy and former friend Jacob Mamabolo will keep having nightmares about three nights he spent in police cells after he was nabbed by metro police officers in Midrand for driving while under the influence of alcohol.

He said he was on his way to join the opening of one of his friend's strip joints in Midrand when he was flagged down.

Radio veteran Bob Mabena will also find it hard to put the year behind him.

That's because he also found himself on the wrong side of the law after allegedly assaulting a businessman because the man had bragged to him that he dated his wife in the past.

The businessman opened a case of assault against the radio man at Midrand police station. This case is likely to continue into the new year.

The sheriff of the court and repo men were also kept busy as some celebs failed to keep up with their bank loans for cars and houses.

Top of the list was Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung, who found himself gracing the front pages of tabloids because banks were hot on his heels for failing to service his debts.

Among his prized possessions that he stood to lose were his bling Bentley and a business complex that included a filling station in Ormonde, south of Joburg.

A week ago, Sunday World also reported about Carte Blanche presenter Macfarlane Moleli, who had joined the list of those set to lose possessions to the repo men. Moleli was taken to court by BMW Financial Services because he could not keep up with payments on his BMW 5 series M-sport.