Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3
Part 1: Before Litigation.....................................................................................................................6
Part 2: Litigation.................................................................................................................................8
Part 3: After Litigation......................................................................................................................11
Part 4: Additional Procedures..........................................................................................................12
Stage One: Before Litigation................................................................................................................13
Cause of Action................................................................................................................................13
Locus Standi.....................................................................................................................................15
Introduction.................................................................................................................................15
Direct and Substantial interest....................................................................................................15
Capacity to Litigate......................................................................................................................32
Jurisdiction.......................................................................................................................................50
Small Claims Court Jurisdiction....................................................................................................51
MC Jurisdiction............................................................................................................................54
HC Jurisdiction.............................................................................................................................75
Letter of Demand...........................................................................................................................101
Time Limits.....................................................................................................................................108
Service of Legal Documents...........................................................................................................111
Phase 2: Litigation: Action Proceedings v Application Proceedings...................................................116
Application.....................................................................................................................................120
Ex Parte Application...................................................................................................................121
Sworn affidavits.........................................................................................................................131
With Notice Applications...........................................................................................................140
Urgent Applications...................................................................................................................156
Actions...........................................................................................................................................165
Pleadings stage..........................................................................................................................165
Plea............................................................................................................................................191
Counterclaim.............................................................................................................................194
Replication.................................................................................................................................196
Litis Contestatio.........................................................................................................................197
Amendment of pleadings...........................................................................................................198
Drafting of pleadings..................................................................................................................199
Actions: Preparation for Trial.........................................................................................................217
Introduction...............................................................................................................................217
1
, Set down....................................................................................................................................217
Discovery of documents............................................................................................................219
Expert Witness...........................................................................................................................221
Medical Examinations................................................................................................................222
Examination of objects..............................................................................................................223
Plan, diagram, model or photo..................................................................................................224
Further Particulars.....................................................................................................................224
Witness Subpoenas and the Presence of Witnesses..................................................................225
Pre-trial Conference...................................................................................................................227
Action Trial.....................................................................................................................................228
Plaintiff’s case............................................................................................................................229
Defendant’s case.......................................................................................................................230
Closing arguments.....................................................................................................................230
Judgement.................................................................................................................................231
Litigation costs...........................................................................................................................231
Types of cost orders...................................................................................................................234
Taxation.....................................................................................................................................235
Phase 3: After Litigation.....................................................................................................................236
Appeals and Reviews.....................................................................................................................236
Writs and Warrant of Execution....................................................................................................240
Imprisonment............................................................................................................................240
Execution...................................................................................................................................242
Section 65 Procedure.....................................................................................................................243
Drastic Procedures.........................................................................................................................244
2
,INTRODUCTION
- Definition: civil procedural law is that part of the adjective law that regulates civil litigation.
It is, therefore, the mechanism by means of which rights derived from substantive law are
enforced
- Our system is more accusatorial than inquisitorial
o The parties dominate the procedure. They determine the pace of the litigation and
controls it
o The judge is an impartial third who only intervenes if the court rules are not
followed
- But we have inquisitorial components
o Class management
SA courts implement directives saying where you institute class actions or
complex cases the judge needs to participate more, get information from
the parties and limit the facts in dispute
Civil Procedure Law v Criminal Procedure Law
- In civil procedure there are two procedures: action or application procedure
o Application procedure: applicant and respondent
o Action: plaintiff (claimant) and defendant
- Balance of probabilities is an easier onus than beyond reasonable doubt
Civil Procedure Law Criminal Procedure Law
Parties Parties
Action: Plaintiff and Defendant State and Accused
Application: Applicant and Respondent
Onus Onus
Balance of probabilities Beyond reasonable doubt
Punishment Punishment
Specific Performance or Monetary Damages Fine, imprisonment, etc
Decision Decision
Is the defendant liable for plaintiff’s claim? Is the accused guilty of the crime or offense?
Aim of punishment Aim of punishment
Compensation for loss suffered, or to Deterrence, retribution, rehabilitation, etc
force/stop a party from doing something
Two tiers of courts
- Lower court (magistrates court)
o District court
o Regional court
- High court
3
, - Different types of lower courts: Divorce court, labour court, equality court, etc
o Most focus will be on small claims court and magistrates court
Magistrate courts
- The magistrates court is a creature of statute
o The court functions under the rules of the legislation
o Thus, if you want to know anything about the court, eg whether the court has
jurisdiction, you look in the statute
o Created and function within Magistrates’ Court Act
- 2 levels: divided into district courts and regional courts
- Districts court
o In every town
o RSA divided into magisterial districts
o Each served by MC
- Regional court
o Magistrates court for a regional division
Absorbs a few districts
Eg Strand district falls under Somerset West magistrate court
High court
- HC system after Constitutional dispensation
o On Sunlearn
1 March 2009: HC’s names changed (Renaming of High Courts Act 30 of
2009)
o Need to know how to refer to HC in Cape Town
"IN THE HlGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
(WESTERN CAPE DIVISION, CAPE TOWN)"
o There is one HC of South Africa, but there are different divisions (provinces)
Thus, is it one HC of South Africa, but with different divisions so that you can
access them in different areas
HC of Western Cape with different seats
Eg one in George and one in Cape Town
WC main seat: Cape Town
o There are also local divisions
They have concurrent jurisdiction with the main seats of the respective
divisions
Jurisdiction over limited geographical areas
Where to find relevant law
- Magistrates’ Courts Act 32 of 1944
- Superior Courts Act 10 of 2014
- Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Act 2012
4
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3
Part 1: Before Litigation.....................................................................................................................6
Part 2: Litigation.................................................................................................................................8
Part 3: After Litigation......................................................................................................................11
Part 4: Additional Procedures..........................................................................................................12
Stage One: Before Litigation................................................................................................................13
Cause of Action................................................................................................................................13
Locus Standi.....................................................................................................................................15
Introduction.................................................................................................................................15
Direct and Substantial interest....................................................................................................15
Capacity to Litigate......................................................................................................................32
Jurisdiction.......................................................................................................................................50
Small Claims Court Jurisdiction....................................................................................................51
MC Jurisdiction............................................................................................................................54
HC Jurisdiction.............................................................................................................................75
Letter of Demand...........................................................................................................................101
Time Limits.....................................................................................................................................108
Service of Legal Documents...........................................................................................................111
Phase 2: Litigation: Action Proceedings v Application Proceedings...................................................116
Application.....................................................................................................................................120
Ex Parte Application...................................................................................................................121
Sworn affidavits.........................................................................................................................131
With Notice Applications...........................................................................................................140
Urgent Applications...................................................................................................................156
Actions...........................................................................................................................................165
Pleadings stage..........................................................................................................................165
Plea............................................................................................................................................191
Counterclaim.............................................................................................................................194
Replication.................................................................................................................................196
Litis Contestatio.........................................................................................................................197
Amendment of pleadings...........................................................................................................198
Drafting of pleadings..................................................................................................................199
Actions: Preparation for Trial.........................................................................................................217
Introduction...............................................................................................................................217
1
, Set down....................................................................................................................................217
Discovery of documents............................................................................................................219
Expert Witness...........................................................................................................................221
Medical Examinations................................................................................................................222
Examination of objects..............................................................................................................223
Plan, diagram, model or photo..................................................................................................224
Further Particulars.....................................................................................................................224
Witness Subpoenas and the Presence of Witnesses..................................................................225
Pre-trial Conference...................................................................................................................227
Action Trial.....................................................................................................................................228
Plaintiff’s case............................................................................................................................229
Defendant’s case.......................................................................................................................230
Closing arguments.....................................................................................................................230
Judgement.................................................................................................................................231
Litigation costs...........................................................................................................................231
Types of cost orders...................................................................................................................234
Taxation.....................................................................................................................................235
Phase 3: After Litigation.....................................................................................................................236
Appeals and Reviews.....................................................................................................................236
Writs and Warrant of Execution....................................................................................................240
Imprisonment............................................................................................................................240
Execution...................................................................................................................................242
Section 65 Procedure.....................................................................................................................243
Drastic Procedures.........................................................................................................................244
2
,INTRODUCTION
- Definition: civil procedural law is that part of the adjective law that regulates civil litigation.
It is, therefore, the mechanism by means of which rights derived from substantive law are
enforced
- Our system is more accusatorial than inquisitorial
o The parties dominate the procedure. They determine the pace of the litigation and
controls it
o The judge is an impartial third who only intervenes if the court rules are not
followed
- But we have inquisitorial components
o Class management
SA courts implement directives saying where you institute class actions or
complex cases the judge needs to participate more, get information from
the parties and limit the facts in dispute
Civil Procedure Law v Criminal Procedure Law
- In civil procedure there are two procedures: action or application procedure
o Application procedure: applicant and respondent
o Action: plaintiff (claimant) and defendant
- Balance of probabilities is an easier onus than beyond reasonable doubt
Civil Procedure Law Criminal Procedure Law
Parties Parties
Action: Plaintiff and Defendant State and Accused
Application: Applicant and Respondent
Onus Onus
Balance of probabilities Beyond reasonable doubt
Punishment Punishment
Specific Performance or Monetary Damages Fine, imprisonment, etc
Decision Decision
Is the defendant liable for plaintiff’s claim? Is the accused guilty of the crime or offense?
Aim of punishment Aim of punishment
Compensation for loss suffered, or to Deterrence, retribution, rehabilitation, etc
force/stop a party from doing something
Two tiers of courts
- Lower court (magistrates court)
o District court
o Regional court
- High court
3
, - Different types of lower courts: Divorce court, labour court, equality court, etc
o Most focus will be on small claims court and magistrates court
Magistrate courts
- The magistrates court is a creature of statute
o The court functions under the rules of the legislation
o Thus, if you want to know anything about the court, eg whether the court has
jurisdiction, you look in the statute
o Created and function within Magistrates’ Court Act
- 2 levels: divided into district courts and regional courts
- Districts court
o In every town
o RSA divided into magisterial districts
o Each served by MC
- Regional court
o Magistrates court for a regional division
Absorbs a few districts
Eg Strand district falls under Somerset West magistrate court
High court
- HC system after Constitutional dispensation
o On Sunlearn
1 March 2009: HC’s names changed (Renaming of High Courts Act 30 of
2009)
o Need to know how to refer to HC in Cape Town
"IN THE HlGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
(WESTERN CAPE DIVISION, CAPE TOWN)"
o There is one HC of South Africa, but there are different divisions (provinces)
Thus, is it one HC of South Africa, but with different divisions so that you can
access them in different areas
HC of Western Cape with different seats
Eg one in George and one in Cape Town
WC main seat: Cape Town
o There are also local divisions
They have concurrent jurisdiction with the main seats of the respective
divisions
Jurisdiction over limited geographical areas
Where to find relevant law
- Magistrates’ Courts Act 32 of 1944
- Superior Courts Act 10 of 2014
- Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Act 2012
4
