Contents
Chapter 17: Amendment of Pleadings...................................................................................................3
1. Case principles...............................................................................................................................3
2. Specific instances when an amendment is sought.........................................................................4
3. Amendment Procedure.................................................................................................................5
Chapter 18: Preparation for trial...........................................................................................................5
1. Enrolment + Setdown....................................................................................................................5
2. Discovery of documents.................................................................................................................5
3. Discovery procedure......................................................................................................................5
4. When can a party call for discovery...............................................................................................6
5. Further discovery...........................................................................................................................6
6. Medical examinations....................................................................................................................6
7. Inspection or examination of property and things.........................................................................6
8. Expert Evidence.............................................................................................................................7
9. Presentation of a plan, diagram, model or photograph.................................................................7
10. Further particulars for preparation for trial.................................................................................7
11. Failure to provide further particulars...........................................................................................7
12. Pre-trial conference.....................................................................................................................8
13. Subpoena.....................................................................................................................................8
14. Evidence with witness not present..............................................................................................8
1. Evidence on commission............................................................................................................8
2. Evidence by way of interrogatories............................................................................................8
3. Evidence on affidavit..................................................................................................................8
15. Judicial Case Management...........................................................................................................9
Chapter 19: Trial + Judgment.................................................................................................................9
1. Commencement of Trial - Primary Burden....................................................................................9
2. Duty to begin...............................................................................................................................10
3. Evidentiary burden.......................................................................................................................10
→ Relationship between the primary onus, evidentiary burden and the duty to begin..............10
4. Examination of witnesses............................................................................................................10
5. Absolution from the instance.......................................................................................................10
6. Defendant’s case..........................................................................................................................11
7. Closing Arguments.......................................................................................................................11
8. Balance of probabilities...............................................................................................................11
9. Judgments and orders..................................................................................................................12
, Rescission and Variation of Judgments........................................................................................12
HCR 31 (2)(b)................................................................................................................................13
Void and abandoned judgments..................................................................................................14
Rescission in Magistrates’ Court..................................................................................................14
10. Re-opening a case......................................................................................................................14
11. Separation of issues...................................................................................................................14
12. Incidental matters......................................................................................................................14
13. Withdrawal, postponement and failure to appear....................................................................15
Chapter 20: Provisional sentence summons........................................................................................15
1. Provisional sentence summons....................................................................................................15
2. Liquid Document..........................................................................................................................16
3. Written Instrument......................................................................................................................16
4. Signed by the Defendant or the authorized agent.......................................................................16
5. Unconditional acknowledgement of debt....................................................................................16
6. Necessity for extrinsic evidence...................................................................................................17
→ Destroys liquidity.....................................................................................................................17
→ to prove a simple condition does not destroy liquidity..........................................................17
7. Acknowledgement of debt limited to a maximum amount or to a future maximum amount.....17
8. A Fixed Amount in Money............................................................................................................17
9. Certain other exceptions..............................................................................................................17
10. Procedure..................................................................................................................................18
11. Defendant..................................................................................................................................18
12. Plaintiff.......................................................................................................................................18
13. Onus of proof.............................................................................................................................18
14. The hearing................................................................................................................................19
15. Court’s discretion to refuse provisional sentence summons.....................................................19
16. Provisional sentence refused/granted.......................................................................................19
Chapter 21: Appeals and Reviews in Civil Proceedings........................................................................20
1. Distinction between appeal and review.......................................................................................20
2. Instances of appeals and reviews................................................................................................20
Appeal..........................................................................................................................................20
Review.........................................................................................................................................20
3. Procedure on review....................................................................................................................21
4. Appeals........................................................................................................................................21
5. Instances in which no appeal lies.................................................................................................21
6. When leave to appeal will be granted.........................................................................................21
, 7. Appeals from Magistrates Court..................................................................................................22
8. Section 48 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act....................................................................................22
9. Procedure in the Magistrates’ Court............................................................................................22
10. Magistrates Court Procedure before appeal can be heard in the High Court............................22
11. High Court..................................................................................................................................23
12. Powers of a court of appeal.......................................................................................................24
13. Further Appeal...........................................................................................................................24
14. Suspension of decision pending the appeal...............................................................................25
15. Procedure to be followed..........................................................................................................25
16. Appeals to a full court of a division of the High Court................................................................25
17. Appeals to the Supreme Court of Appeal...................................................................................25
18. Powers of a court of appeal.......................................................................................................25
19. Costs of appeal...........................................................................................................................26
Chapter 22: Execution..........................................................................................................................26
1. Developments relating to execution against immovable property..............................................26
2. Case Law......................................................................................................................................27
3. Other Factors to be considered in terms of HCR 46A..................................................................27
4. Property exempts from attachment and execution.....................................................................27
5. Garnishee orders.........................................................................................................................28
6. Suspension of execution in cases on appeal................................................................................28
7. Interpleader proceedings.............................................................................................................28
8. Section 127 of National Credit Act...............................................................................................28
Chapter 17: Amendment of Pleadings
HCR 28, MCR 55A: identical proceedings applicable for amendment to be affected
MCR 7, s 111 MCA: special amendment procedures
Amendment can be affected with the consent of the other party
If one seeks leave to amend from court → needs to offer a reasonable explanation for the
amendment
If opposing party objects to the amendment → court will either grant or refuse the amendment
after hearing both parties
1. Case principles
Moolman v Estate Moolman:
practical rule adopted seems to be that amendments will always be allowed
Chapter 17: Amendment of Pleadings...................................................................................................3
1. Case principles...............................................................................................................................3
2. Specific instances when an amendment is sought.........................................................................4
3. Amendment Procedure.................................................................................................................5
Chapter 18: Preparation for trial...........................................................................................................5
1. Enrolment + Setdown....................................................................................................................5
2. Discovery of documents.................................................................................................................5
3. Discovery procedure......................................................................................................................5
4. When can a party call for discovery...............................................................................................6
5. Further discovery...........................................................................................................................6
6. Medical examinations....................................................................................................................6
7. Inspection or examination of property and things.........................................................................6
8. Expert Evidence.............................................................................................................................7
9. Presentation of a plan, diagram, model or photograph.................................................................7
10. Further particulars for preparation for trial.................................................................................7
11. Failure to provide further particulars...........................................................................................7
12. Pre-trial conference.....................................................................................................................8
13. Subpoena.....................................................................................................................................8
14. Evidence with witness not present..............................................................................................8
1. Evidence on commission............................................................................................................8
2. Evidence by way of interrogatories............................................................................................8
3. Evidence on affidavit..................................................................................................................8
15. Judicial Case Management...........................................................................................................9
Chapter 19: Trial + Judgment.................................................................................................................9
1. Commencement of Trial - Primary Burden....................................................................................9
2. Duty to begin...............................................................................................................................10
3. Evidentiary burden.......................................................................................................................10
→ Relationship between the primary onus, evidentiary burden and the duty to begin..............10
4. Examination of witnesses............................................................................................................10
5. Absolution from the instance.......................................................................................................10
6. Defendant’s case..........................................................................................................................11
7. Closing Arguments.......................................................................................................................11
8. Balance of probabilities...............................................................................................................11
9. Judgments and orders..................................................................................................................12
, Rescission and Variation of Judgments........................................................................................12
HCR 31 (2)(b)................................................................................................................................13
Void and abandoned judgments..................................................................................................14
Rescission in Magistrates’ Court..................................................................................................14
10. Re-opening a case......................................................................................................................14
11. Separation of issues...................................................................................................................14
12. Incidental matters......................................................................................................................14
13. Withdrawal, postponement and failure to appear....................................................................15
Chapter 20: Provisional sentence summons........................................................................................15
1. Provisional sentence summons....................................................................................................15
2. Liquid Document..........................................................................................................................16
3. Written Instrument......................................................................................................................16
4. Signed by the Defendant or the authorized agent.......................................................................16
5. Unconditional acknowledgement of debt....................................................................................16
6. Necessity for extrinsic evidence...................................................................................................17
→ Destroys liquidity.....................................................................................................................17
→ to prove a simple condition does not destroy liquidity..........................................................17
7. Acknowledgement of debt limited to a maximum amount or to a future maximum amount.....17
8. A Fixed Amount in Money............................................................................................................17
9. Certain other exceptions..............................................................................................................17
10. Procedure..................................................................................................................................18
11. Defendant..................................................................................................................................18
12. Plaintiff.......................................................................................................................................18
13. Onus of proof.............................................................................................................................18
14. The hearing................................................................................................................................19
15. Court’s discretion to refuse provisional sentence summons.....................................................19
16. Provisional sentence refused/granted.......................................................................................19
Chapter 21: Appeals and Reviews in Civil Proceedings........................................................................20
1. Distinction between appeal and review.......................................................................................20
2. Instances of appeals and reviews................................................................................................20
Appeal..........................................................................................................................................20
Review.........................................................................................................................................20
3. Procedure on review....................................................................................................................21
4. Appeals........................................................................................................................................21
5. Instances in which no appeal lies.................................................................................................21
6. When leave to appeal will be granted.........................................................................................21
, 7. Appeals from Magistrates Court..................................................................................................22
8. Section 48 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act....................................................................................22
9. Procedure in the Magistrates’ Court............................................................................................22
10. Magistrates Court Procedure before appeal can be heard in the High Court............................22
11. High Court..................................................................................................................................23
12. Powers of a court of appeal.......................................................................................................24
13. Further Appeal...........................................................................................................................24
14. Suspension of decision pending the appeal...............................................................................25
15. Procedure to be followed..........................................................................................................25
16. Appeals to a full court of a division of the High Court................................................................25
17. Appeals to the Supreme Court of Appeal...................................................................................25
18. Powers of a court of appeal.......................................................................................................25
19. Costs of appeal...........................................................................................................................26
Chapter 22: Execution..........................................................................................................................26
1. Developments relating to execution against immovable property..............................................26
2. Case Law......................................................................................................................................27
3. Other Factors to be considered in terms of HCR 46A..................................................................27
4. Property exempts from attachment and execution.....................................................................27
5. Garnishee orders.........................................................................................................................28
6. Suspension of execution in cases on appeal................................................................................28
7. Interpleader proceedings.............................................................................................................28
8. Section 127 of National Credit Act...............................................................................................28
Chapter 17: Amendment of Pleadings
HCR 28, MCR 55A: identical proceedings applicable for amendment to be affected
MCR 7, s 111 MCA: special amendment procedures
Amendment can be affected with the consent of the other party
If one seeks leave to amend from court → needs to offer a reasonable explanation for the
amendment
If opposing party objects to the amendment → court will either grant or refuse the amendment
after hearing both parties
1. Case principles
Moolman v Estate Moolman:
practical rule adopted seems to be that amendments will always be allowed
