Case Law[2022] ZAGPJHC 882South Africa
M v N (2021/22911) [2022] ZAGPJHC 882 (10 November 2022)
High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Johannesburg)
10 November 2022
Judgment
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# South Africa: South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg
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## M v N (2021/22911) [2022] ZAGPJHC 882 (10 November 2022)
M v N (2021/22911) [2022] ZAGPJHC 882 (10 November 2022)
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sino date 10 November 2022
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IN
THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
GAUTENG
DIVISION, JOHANNESBURG
CASE
NO: 2021/22911
REPORTABLE:
NO
OF
INTEREST TO OTHER JUDGES: NO
REVISED:
NO
In
the matter between:
M
[....] 1, M [....] 2 V [....] Z [....]
Applicant
And
M[....]
3 C [....] N [....]
Respondent
JUDGMENT
ENGELBRECHT
AJ
INTRODUCTION
AND BACKGROUND
1.
This is an application in terms of uniform rule 43
(URC 43), in which the applicant seeks an order, pending finalization
of divorce
proceedings, that:
1.1.
the parties shall co-hold full parental responsibilities and rights
(PR&R) in respect of a minor child
born of the marriage;
1.2.
the minor child shall reside primarily with the respondent;
1.3.
the parties shall have daily telephone contact with the minor child
when she is residing with the other party
at identified times;
1.4.
both parties shall have the right to attend any school function,
parents’ evening or any activities
in which the minor child
participates;
1.5.
the applicant shall be entitled to exercise contact with the minor
child (i) from after school every Wednesday
afternoon until the
following morning when she shall be returned to school; and (ii)
every alternate weekend, together with contact
on alternate public
holidays, contact on Father’s day, contact on the applicant’s
birthday, and shared contact during
school holidays and contact on
alternating Easter weekends;
1.6.
decision regarding the minor child’s schooling, extramural
activities, healthcare, medical procedures
and treatment, as well as
her religious, cultural and social upbringing shall be made jointly
by the parties;
1.7. in
the event that either party is unable to care for the minor child for
24 hours or longer, when she is
due to be in their care, then the
other party shall be offered first right of refusal during that
period;
1.8. a
social worker or attorney shall be appointed as the parenting
coordinator to assist the parties to mediate
their disputes, monitor
and regulate their contact and provide parental guidance for the
parties that will serve the minor child’s
best interests, with
powers as set out in an annexure to the notice of motion;
1.9.
for costs.
2.
The relief concerning care for and contact with the child is
consistent
with the recommendations of a social worker, Ms Leonie
Henig (Ms Henig), who conducted an extensive investigation prior to
her
production of a report containing these recommendations (the
Report).
3.
Ms Goosen, for the respondent, indicated to the court that the
respondent
agrees with the orders sought in paragraphs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3,
1.4 and 1.7 above. In essence, the issue before this court is the
nature
and extent of the contact to be enjoyed by the applicant, and
the conditions that must attach to such contact.
4.
The applicant and the respondent appear to agree that, although the
minor
child loves the applicant, the relationship between the
applicant and the minor child is not good. This is borne out by the
Report.
The applicant asserts by reference to the Report that this is
due to the acts of alienation by the respondent; the respondent
blames
the lack of relationship between the minor child and the
applicant on the latter’s long absences from the minor’
child’s
life and his failure to reach out to her and be
responsive to her need to be cared for, as well as certain cultural
practices of
the applicant’s family that the respondent asserts
to upset and unsettle the minor child, and make her fearful. Whatever
the reason, it appears to be common cause that the applicant wants to
re-build a relationship with the minor child in circumstances
where
that relationship is not as it should be.
5.
The respondent further asserts that she is not opposed to contact
between
the applicant and the minor child; merely that she wishes to
ensure that the appropriate mechanisms are put in place to ensure
that the relationship is restored over time, before the minor child
is exposed to a care and contact regime that would require of
her to
stay with the applicant while she is unwilling to do so. Indeed, it
appears from the papers before me that the minor child
has expressed
an unwillingness to attend contact sessions with the applicant, and
the evidence is that the minor child, albeit
only 11 years old, is
strong-willed. The respondent is also opposed to contact sessions in
the presence of members of the extended
family, given the fears and
insecurities allegedly experienced by the minor child in consequence
of the cultural practices of the
extended family. This is a major
sticking-point, because the applicant is quadruplegic and he relies
on the care of members of
his extended family, including a nephew who
is also his carer and driver.
6.
What the respondent proposes, in addition to submission to certain
relief sought
(as already identified), is that:
6.1.
Angie English,
alternatively
in the event of her being
unavailable, another suitably qualified psychologist agreed upon
between the parties, be appointed to
undertake therapy with the minor
child to address her issues with the applicant;
6.2.
Tanya Kriel,
alternatively
in the event of her being
unavailable, another suitably qualified social worker at Kidsbuzz, be
appointed to conduct reconstructive
therapy between the applicant and
the minor child;
6.3.
the applicant be entitled to exercise contact with the minor child
under the supervision of the social worker
conducting the
reconstructive therapy wo shall make recommendations on the extent
and duration of the contact between the applicant
and the minor
child, after taking into account the views of the psychologist
attending to the therapy with the minor child;
6.4.
the applicant be entitled to reasonable telephonic and/or electronic
contact with the minor child at all
reasonable times, subject to her
religious, cultural, scholastic, sporting, extra mural and social
activities;
6.5. in
addition to the reconstructive therapy contact sessions, applicant be
entitled to additional contact with
the minor child at times agreed
upon with respondent at a mutually agreed upon venue, in respondent’s
presence, only in the
event of the minor child consenting thereto on
each occasion, and only if the minor child’s psychologist and
reconstructive
therapy social worker advise that same is appropriate;
6.6.
pendente lite
, applicant not be entitled to exercise physical
contact with the minor child in the presence of his extended family;
6.7.
the applicant pay the costs of this application.
7.
In other words, the respondent’s position, crisply, is that
contact should
initially be exercised alone under the supervision of
a social worker who shall conduct reconstructive therapy with the
applicant
and the minor child to slowly re-integrate him into her
life until they have established a bond where unsupervised contact
can
be exercised; and that the social worker manages ongoing
recommendations of what contact should take place.
MATTERS
IN DISPUTE
8.
The dispute therefore boils down to:
8.1.
the nature and extent of the contact to be exercised by the applicant
with the minor child;
8.2.
whether such contact ought to be supervised pending reconstructive
therapy;
8.3.
whether the extended family of the applicant ought to be allowed to
be present during contact between the
applicant and the minor child;
8.4.
the necessity or otherwise for the appointment of a parenting
coordinator;
8.5.
the necessity or otherwise of reconstructive therapy;
8.6. in
relation to the appointments sought by the respondent, the identity
of the relevant professionals and
the responsibility for the costs of
such appointment; and
8.7.
costs.
THIS
COURT’S ROLE
9.
A court, as the upper
guardian of minors, is empowered and under a duty to consider and
evaluate all relevant factors placed before
it, in order to decide
the issue that is of paramount importance: the best interests of the
child.
[1]
After all, section 9
of the Children’s Act
[2]
makes plain that in all matters concerning the care of a child the
standard that the child’s best interest is of paramount
importance, “
must
be applied”
.
10.
The court has extreme
wide powers in establishing what is in the best interests of a child,
and it is not bound by procedural strictures
or by the limitations of
the evidence presented or contentions advanced by the respective
parties.
[3]
As upper guardian of
minor children, this court enjoys the authority to establish what is
in the best interest of a child and to
make corresponding order to
ensure that such interests are effectively served and safeguarded.
[4]
The interests of the minor child ought not to be held to ransom for
the sake of legal niceties.
[5]
11.
Overall, this court must be guided by the provisions of sections 6
and 7 of the Children’s
Act.
11.1. In accordance with
section 6(2 all decisions in a matter concerning a child must
inter
alia
:
11.1.1.respect, protect,
promote and fulfil the child’s rights set out in the Bill of
Rights, the bests interests of the child
standard set out in section
7 and the rights and principles set out in the Children’s Act,
subject to any lawful limitation;
11.1.2.respect the
child’s inherent dignity; and
11.1.3.treat the child
fairly and equitably.
11.2.
Section 6(4)(b) provides that a delay in action or decision to be
taken must be avoided as far as
possible.
11.3.
Section 6(5) prescribes that a child, having regard to his or her
age, maturity and stage of development,
must be informed of any
action or decision taken in a matter concerning the child which
significantly affects the child.
11.4.
Section 7 provides that, where the standard of the best interests of
the child is to be applied, the
following factors
inter alia
must
be taken into account:
11.4.1.the nature of the
personal relationship between the child and the parents, or any
specific parent;
11.4.2.the capacity of
the parents, or any specific parent, to provide for the needs of the
child, including emotional and intellectual
needs;
11.4.3.the practical
difficulty and expense of a child having contact with the parents, or
any specific parent, and whether that
difficulty or expense will
substantially affect the child’s right to maintain personal
relations and direct contact with
the parents, or any specific
parent, on a regular basis;
11.4.4.the need for the
child to remain in the care of his or her parent, family and extended
family and to maintain a connection
with his or her family, extended
family, culture or tradition;
11.4.5.relevant
characteristics of the child;
11.4.6.the child’s
emotional security; and
11.4.7.which action or
decision would avoid or minimise further legal or administrative
proceedings in relation to the child.
12.
Moreover, in accordance with section 10 of the Children’s Act,
“
Every child that is of such an age, maturity and stage of
development as to be able to participate in any matter concerning
that
child has the right to participate in an appropriate way and
views expressed by the child must be given due consideration”
.
13.
In accordance with this standard, the views of the child must be
given “
due consideration”
. That said, the best
interests of the child are paramount in the determination. This
suggests that the views of the child, whilst
taken into account in an
appropriate manner, may be overridden by what the court considers to
be in the best interests of the child
as evaluated by reference to
the considerations in section 7 of the Children’s Act.
14.
In this regard, I take
note of the approach of the court in
Germani
v Herf,
[6]
a case in which the court was concerned with a situation where a
father was, despite an order of court granting access rights,
refused
access over a protracted period of time. In that case, the 12-year
old child steadfastly refused to have anything to do
with the father.
The court considered that the “
child’s
recalcitrance has undoubtedly been encouraged by the negative
attitude (the mother) has constantly adopted towards
(the father’s
right to access”)
”
.
[7]
It held that “
No
doubt the attitude of a child ought to be taken into account in
appropriate circumstances … here the child, … is
still
young, immature in mind, impressionable and, notwithstanding his
stubbornness, unable to decide for himself what is in his
best
interests. … Moreover to attach such decisive importance to
the child’s own professed intractable attitude as
the learned
Judge has done means that the child is thereby allowed to frustrate
access orders … granted by the Court as
being in his best
interests. That surely cannot be right.”
[8]
15.
Of interest is also the
approach of the Australian High Court of Justice, Family Division in
V v
V:
[9]
“
The wishes and
feelings of the children are significant in respect of their age and
maturity. These children wish to stay with their
mother with whom
they have always lived. Their wishes must be taken into account, but
cannot be determinative of the outcome, partly
because of their young
age, and also because they have become enmeshed in the parents’
problems and have learnt to say what
they think is expected of them.
In order to survive emotionally I find these children … have
become skilled in reiterating
the view of their principal carer to
date, namely the mother, and in consequence that their views are
tainted by the influence
of the mother.”
[10]
THE
VOICE OF THE CHILD AND THE CHILD’S BEST INTERESTS IN THE
PRESENT CASE
16.
In the present case, the voice of the child is reflected in the
Report, which
also provides context in respect of the attitude of the
child.
17.
In the Report, Ms Henig found that respondent had
engaged in parental alienating behaviours which has resulted in the
child having
become alienated from the applicant. She based such
finding on considerations such as that:
17.1.
the respondent has allegedly withheld contact from
the applicant and has not facilitated his communication with the
child;
17.2.
the respondent has allegedly badmouthed the
applicant and has shared inappropriate adult information about the
applicant with the
minor child;
17.3.
the child shows no signs of any guilt or remorse
when she badmouthed the applicant or when she spoke to him in an
obnoxious, rude
and disrespectful manner;
17.4.
the child allegedly has frivolous or absurd
rationalisations for rejecting the applicant; and
17.5.
the respondent has allegedly poisoned the child
against the applicant’s family.
18.
The respondent denies these allegations. She says
that it is the applicant himself that failed to establish a
relationship with
the child in that he (i) only resided with her for
approximately four of the eleven years since her birth, (ii) has not
attempted
to contact the child regularly and has in fact made
extremely infrequent telephonic and physical contact with her; (iii)
has chosen
not to exercise his parental responsibilities throughout
her life; and (iv) failed to take steps to overcome issues between
him
and the minor child when she rejected him, and rather withdrew
when his attempts at contact were unsuccessful, given his unassertive
nature.
19.
Leaving aside for the moment the reasons for the
fraught relationship between the applicant and the minor child, it is
noted that
the Report records that the child:
19.1.
made numerous references to her anger at her
father;
19.2.
complained that the applicant maintained his
nephew and others, but “
does not
give her anything”
, that he does
not sufficiently contribute to her financially and that it hurt her
on her 10
th
birthday
when he did not give her a present, as well as when she asked him
something for school he said “
ask
your mother, she works”
;
19.3.
complained that the applicant always chooses other
people over her and claimed that he does not care about her, but only
for others;
19.4.
made it very clear that she did not want to engage
or interact with her father, and she was rude, dismissive and
obnoxious towards
him;
19.5.
launched a verbal attack on the applicant during
the interview, accusing him of ruining her life, always leaving her
and the respondent,
and choosing other people over them;
19.6.
stated that she hates her father, that she does
not want to see him, and that he must leave her alone and go to
another woman he
had been in a relationship woth and his nephew as
she has to move on with her life.
20.
What is evident from these recordals is that the
child appears to be extremely bitter, angry, frustrated and resentful
towards the
applicant for him having to reside with another family
instead of with her. She feels that he abandoned her and that he
cares more
for others than her. She was hurt and miserable when he
left, and she has lost her trust in him to remain a constant in her
life.
21.
Having regard to the Report and the allegations
set out in the papers exchanged in this application, this court will
accept that
the respondent has a very close relationship with the
child and that she has contributed in a significant way to the
alienation
between the applicant and the minor child. But the blame
cannot be put on her shoulders alone, as the Report would suggest.
The
conduct of the applicant himself has surely contributed to the
child’s resentment of her father, and his absences, his failure
to communicate with the child on a regular basis and his withdrawal
when met with resistance to contact with him cannot be ignored
as
possible reasons for the child harbouring anger towards him. At the
very least, the applicant’s conduct provided fertile
ground for
the respondent’s alienating conduct.
22.
I will accept Ms Henig’s conclusion that the
child’s complaints about the applicant are, in some respects
frivolous
and unreasonable, but this does not make the child’s
experience less real. As an 11-year old she can be expected
potentially
to have unrealistic expectations, and if the respondent
has indeed fuelled her feelings of resentment, all the more so.
Whatever
the reasons for resentment, and irrespective of whether they
are rational or underpinned by frivolous reasoning, the reality that
confronts this court is that there is a real need that the minor
child should be given assistance to re-build her relationship
with
her father. Imposing a regime of contact upon her when she is not
ready to engage with the applicant in the manner proposed
will most
likely lead to yet further resentment. At the same time, the contact
regime, and any assistance that is provided to the
child, must not
operate to postpone the development of a real and meaningful
relationship between the applicant and the child.
23.
I also
have regard to the approach of the court in
K
v K:
[11]
“…
I
have borne in mind that L is not yet ten years old. In addition, I
have no doubt that her attitude to the respondent has been
influenced
by the applicant’s attitude to the respondent. If I should
order the applicant to co-operate in insuring that
the respondent is
able to exercise her rights of access, as I intend to do, I have no
doubt that this will in itself contribute
in a change in L’s
attitude to the respondent. What is required of the applicant to
‘co-operate fully’ is that
should L refuse to speak to
the respondent or to go to the respondent or in any manner not allow
the respondent to exercise his
rights of access as defined in the
order I give, that the applicant will then use his parental authority
and usual parental disciplinary
techniques in order to compel L to
submit to the respondent’s access”
.
[12]
24.
The order that I propose to make is one that will
allow for the development of the relationship, but which does not
delay the development
of the relationship unduly as a result of
extremely restrictive conditions attaching to the care of and contact
with the minor
child. I also consider as appropriate the approach
adopted in
K v K
,
which would place certain obligations on the respondent in respect of
the promotion of the relationship between the applicant
and the minor
child.
25.
The question that remains, then, is what
assistance is required to achieve the desired outcomes. This brings
the court to a consideration
of the positions adopted by the
respective parties. Helpfully, counsel for the applicant and the
respondent each provided a draft
order. In the assessment of this
court, there are elements of each of the proposed orders that can be
employed to reach an outcome
that is just and equitable, in the best
interests of the minor child, and that takes into account the voice
of the child to a reasonable
degree. I highlight once more that the
court has wide powers and that I am not bound by the relief that has
been sought or proposed
by the parties,respectively.
26.
I shall briefly discuss some considerations
brought into account.
ASSISTANCE TO BE
PROVIDED TO THE PARTIES
The
issue of the appointment of a parenting coordinator or other
professionals
27.
The judgment in
TC
v SC
[13]
sets out the requirements
for a court to appoint a parenting co-ordinator without the consent
of both parties, which requirement
includes that there already be an
agreed parenting plan in existence, which plan has been made an order
of court. The role of such
a parenting co-ordinator must be limited
to supervising the implementation of and compliance with the court
order, and directives
of a parenting coordinator remain subject to
judicial oversight. The parenting coordinator can do no more than to
make ancillary
rulings that are necessary to implement the court
order.
28.
These requirements have not been met in the present instance. But
this fact
alone cannot stand in the way of attempts to be made to
improve the situation that currently prevails. Clearly, there is a
need
for the intervention of third parties to assist and guide the
parties and the minor child. The respondent accepts this by way of
the counter-proposal made.
29.
The counter-proposal envisages a situation where the professionals
proposed
to be appointed will treat and assist the minor child in
order to secure the benefits of fostering a better relationship
between
the applicant and the minor child whilst the minor child
remains in essence under the exclusive care of the respondent. There
is
no accounting for the influence that the respondent may continue
to exert over the minor child and which may undermine the efforts
of
the professionals engaged to assist the minor child. This is an issue
that must be addressed.
30.
Moreover, the counter-proposal envisages that no extended family
member of the
applicant be present during the applicant’s
contact with the minor child, which is impractical given the
applicant’s
position as a quadriplegic who requires the
assistance of his family.
31.
This court must strike a balance between the proposals made, in order
to come to
a sensible solution. Whatever balance is struck, there is
no doubt that there is the need for the appointment of professionals
to assist.
The applicant is a man of some means.
He, in the interests of fostering the relationship with his child,
should bear the costs of
the interventions at this stage. I consider
as fair the proposal made by the applicant that such costs be borne
by him for now,
but that the respondent remains liable for half the
cost, which will be made good at the time of the division of the
joint estate.
I propose to make an order in that regard.
32.
Moreover, I accept the proposals of the respondent in respect of the
appointment
of therapists to conduct psychological and reconstructive
therapy. However, the process must be managed, and I intend to order
also that the reconstruction therapist attend to the role of case
manager, as reflected in the order.
The
nature of the contact and whether it ought to be supervised
33.
This court recognises the need to assist the minor child in
re-establishing a relationship with the applicant, and for the
involvement of a psychologist and reconstructive therapist in this
endeavour, as indicated above. The court recognises that contact with
the applicant ought to be limited to a degree at the outset,
so that
the child is given the necessary assistance. That said, the minor
child must gradually be introduced to contact with the
applicant on
an un-supervised basis to allow for the development of a natural and
healthy relationship between them. As soon as
is possible, the
situation must be one of more normal contact. In order to avoid a
further approach to court, I intend to set timelines
to regulate to a
degree the nature of future contact. I also put in place measures to
ensure that the applicant and respondent
cooperate and to ensure that
the influence of the respondent does not undermine the endeavours of
the reconstructive therapy.
34.
I decline to restrict contact of the minor child
with the extended family of the applicant. For the moment, I consider
that mid-week
contact would be disruptive during the school term,
especially given the fact that the child resides in Johannesburg and
the applicant
resides in Pretoria. The travel arrangements in
ordinary circumstances would be complicated, and are even more so
given the applicant's
reliance on the assistance of others to
transport the minor child in circumstances where he cannot do so
himself. Any number of
complications may arise in light of the minor
child's school activities after hours as well.
COSTS
35.
In circumstances where this court has struck a
balance between the respective positions of the parties, I make an
order that each
party shall bear their own costs in relation to this
application.
ORDER
36.
In the circumstances I make the following order:
1.
Pendente lite
the
parties shall continue to co-hold full parental responsibilities and
rights in respect of the minor child,
Z
[....] 1 S [....] P [....] M [....] 1
,
a daughter born on 11 February 2011, as set out in
Section 18
of the
Children's Act 38 of 2005
.
2.
The minor child shall reside primarily with the
respondent.
3.
Decisions regarding the minor child's schooling,
extramural activities, healthcare, medical procedures and treatment,
as well as
her religious, cultural and social upbringing shall be
made jointly by the parties.
4.
Both parties shall have the right to attend any
school function, parents' evening or any activities in which the
minor child participates.
5.
Angie English,
alternatively
in the event of her being unavailable, another
suitably qualified psychologist agreed upon between the parties or
further alternatively
in the absence of such agreement, a suitably
qualified psychologist identified by the office of the Family
Advocate shall be appointed
to undertake individual therapy with the
minor child concerning her relationship with the applicant and the
respondent for a minimum
period of three months.
6.
Tanya Kriel,
alternatively
in the event of her being unavailable, another
suitably qualified social worker at
Kidsbuzz,
is appointed to conduct reconstructive therapy between the applicant
and the minor child, such reconstructive therapy
to be conducted for
an hour a week
for a minimum
period of three months.
6.1.
The appointments for such reconstructive therapy
shall be made by the applicant in consultation with the appointed
social worker,
and having due regard to the commitments of the minor
child that affect her availability at particular times.
6.2.
The respondent shall be notified twenty-four hours
in advance of, and make the minor child available for, each session.
6.3.
The applicant shall collect the minor child from
the respondent or school for such sessions and return the minor child
to either
school or the respondent thereafter.
7.
The social worker appointed as the reconstructive
therapist shall further be appointed as case manager to monitor the
reconstruction
of the relationship between the minor child and the
applicant and to ensure that both parents promote the other as a good
parent.
8.
The applicant and the respondent are to attend
parental guidance sessions for a minimum period of three months. If
the parties cannot
within 20 calendar days of the date of this order
agree on the therapist to be appointed for this purpose, the Family
Advocate
shall appoint the therapist.
9.
The parties shall be liable for the costs of
therapy as aforesaid in equal shares, subject to the applicant making
payment of such
costs as and when incurred and a pecuniary adjustment
in regard thereto being made in his favour on division of the joint
estate
between the parties.
10.
The applicant shall be entitled to exercise
contact to the minor child as follows:
10.1.
In respect of November 2022:
10.1.1.
On Saturday, 19 November 2022
or
Sunday, 20 November 2022 from 11h30 until 14h30;
10.2.
In respect of December 2022:
10.2.1.On
Saturday, 3 December 2022
or
Sunday, 4 December 2022 from 11h30 to 14h30;
10.2.2.On Thursday, 22
December 2022 from 09h00 to 12h00;
10.2.3.From 11h30 to
16h00 on Sunday, 1 January 2023;
10.3.
In respect of January 2023:
10.3.1.On Thursday, 5
January 2023 from 10h00 to 15h00;
10.3.2.From after school
on Friday, 13 January 2023 until 15h00 on Sunday, 15 January 2023;
11.
As from February 2023, the applicant will be
entitled to have the minor child with him:
11.1.
every alternate weekend from after school on a
Friday until Sunday afternoon at 17h00.
11.2.
every alternate public holiday that does not fall
into the school holidays of the minor child from after school the day
before such
holiday if a school day alternatively from 17h00 if a
non-school day, until 17h00 on the day of such public holiday;
11.3.
every Father's Day from 17h00 the day before such
day until 17h00 on Father's Day (the respondent shall be entitled to
the same
contact with the minor child on Mother's Day);
11.4.
half of the minor child's available time on her
birthday;
11.5.
the applicant's birthday from the night before
until 17h00 on the day of such birthday (the respondent shall be
entitled to the
same contact with the minor child on her birthday);
11.6.
half of all school holidays and mid-term breaks
wherein the first and second half of the holidays will be alternated
between the
parties;
11.7.
every alternate Easter weekend;
11.8.
all Jewish religious holidays, from 14h00 the
night before until 19h00 the following evening.
12.
The parties shall have daily telephone contact
with the minor child when she is residing with the other party, which
contact shall
take place between 18h00 and 19h00, but subject to the
minor child’s social, cultural, religious or extra-mural
activities
(it being the responsibility of the party with whom the
minor child is resident at the time to facilitate such
telecommunication
contact).
13.
There is no order as to costs.
M
ENGELBRECHT
ACTING
JUDGE OF THE HIGH COURT
GAUTENG
DIVISION OF THE HIGH COURT, JOHANNESBURG
Date
of hearing : 04 November
2022
Date
of judgment : 09 November 2022
Appearances:
Attorneys
for the applicant
: STEVE MERCHAK ATTONEYS
Counsel
for the applicant
: DS HODGE
Attorneys
for the respondent :
CRAIG BAILLE ATTORNEYS
Counsel
for the respondent
: C GORDON
[1]
J
v J
2008
(6) SA 30 (C).
[2]
38
of 2005.
[3]
Terblanche
v Terblanche
1992
(1) SA 501
(W) at 504C.
[4]
Girdwood
v Girdwood
1995
(4) SA 698 (C).
[5]
AD
and DD v DW and Others
(2008)
4 BCR 359
at 370A.
[6]
1975
(4) SA 887 (A).
[7]
At
900A.
[8]
At
899D.
[9]
[2004]
EWHC 1215 (Fam).
[10]
At
para 44.
[11]
(17189/08)
[2009] ZAGPJHC 13 (6 May 2009).
[12]
At
para 30.
[13]
2018
(4) SA 530
(WCC) para 71.
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