Case Law[2022] ZAGPJHC 613South Africa
Minister of Police v Manyoni (A5067/2021; 41499/18) [2022] ZAGPJHC 613 (17 August 2022)
High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Johannesburg)
17 August 2022
Judgment
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# South Africa: South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg
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## Minister of Police v Manyoni (A5067/2021; 41499/18) [2022] ZAGPJHC 613 (17 August 2022)
Minister of Police v Manyoni (A5067/2021; 41499/18) [2022] ZAGPJHC 613 (17 August 2022)
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sino date 17 August 2022
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IN
THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
GAUTENG
LOCAL DIVISION, JOHANNESBURG.
FULL
COURT APPEAL CASE NUMBER: A5067/2021
HIGH
COURT CASE NUMBER: 41499/18
Reportable:
YES
Of
interest to other Judges: YES
Revised:
No
17/08/2022
IN
THE MATTER BETWEEN:
In
the matter between:
THE
MINISTER OF
POLICE
APPELLANT
And
ZAKHELE
MANYONI
RESPONDENT
JUDGMENT
Oosthuizen-Senekal
CSP, AJ (with Makume J and Wright J concurring)
Introduction
[1] One of the issues in
this appeal is whether remarks made by the trial Judge to the
plaintiff as to how monies from a possible
damages award should be
invested. Shortly after the Plaintiff had finalised his evidence and
prior to both Counsel having had an
opportunity to address Court on
the issue before it, the trial Judge suggested that he take the money
to a large company for investment
purposes. Upon being challenged as
to the perception of bias, the trial Judge and counsel for the
defendant became embroiled in
an exchange, where the trial Judge was
accused of acting like a financial advisor. In the final analysis the
trial Judge found
in favour of the Plaintiff on the merits and
awarded a substantial amount by way of damages.
[2]
On appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal, the matter was referred
back to a Full Bench after leave to appeal had been refused
by the
court
a quo.
[3]
For ease of reference, the parties are cited as in the court
a
quo.
[4]
The plaintiff instituted a claim for damages against the Minister of
Police (
“
the first defendant”
)
and the National Director of Public Prosecutions (
“
the
second defendant”
) arising out of
wrongful arrest and detention and further claimed damages against the
second defendant for malicious prosecution.
Both claims were granted
by the court
a quo.
Aggrieved
by the outcome, and particular the court
a
quo’s
personal financial advice
to the plaintiff, the first defendant launched the appeal.
[5]
The essential issue before this Court is whether the court
a
quo
was biased to the extent that it
could not apply an independent mind when it found that the arrest and
detention was unlawful, and
whether the plaintiff had proved his
claim for malicious prosecution.
Factual Matrix
[6] The material facts of
this matter are largely common cause.
[7]
In the early hours of the morning on 6 May 2017 Mrs E [....] J K
[....] (
“
the complainant”
)
was attacked in her home by an unknown male person. The intruder’s
face was covered and therefore she was unable to identify
him. During
the incident, the complainant resisted and fought her attacker. In
retaliation the assailant attempted to prevent her
from screaming by
inserting his fingers into her mouth in order to pull her tongue from
her mouth. The complainant then bit the
assailant’s fingers
inserted into her mouth and she screamed for help. The assailant fled
the scene through the broken window
where he had earlier gained entry
to the complainant’s house.
[8] The complainant
reported the incident at the Jabulani Police Station in Soweto,
whereafter a case docket was opened. Following
investigation of the
crime scene a fingerprint was lifted and a blood sample, possibly
that of the assailant, was collected at
the crime scene.
[9]
Warrant Officer Sithubeni (
“
Sithubeni”
),
stationed at Jabulani Police Station was appointed as investigating
officer in the matter.
[10] On 17 May 2017
during an interview, the complainant advised Sithubeni that she was
unable to identify her attacker. However,
on Friday, 19 May 2017 the
complainant contacted Sithubeni and informed him that she had
received information from community members
about a person having a
bandage on his left hand. She also informed Sithubeni that the said
person was residing in the same street
as herself. The attack and
subsequent attempt at identifying the plaintiff happened in Soweto, a
densely populated area.
[11] Pursuant to the
report, the plaintiff was arrested for housebreaking and attempted
rape. The basis for the arrest was that
the plaintiff was indeed a
person having a bandage on his left hand and thus the attacker.
During the arrest Sithubeni did not
request the plaintiff to remove
the bandage in order to ascertain whether his injuries were
consistent with that of human bite
marks.
[12] On Monday, 22 May
2017 the plaintiff appeared in the Protea Magistrate’s Court
and the matter was postponed for 13 June
2017 for a formal bail
application. On 13 June 2017 the plaintiff’s bail application
was refused and the matter was postponed
for further investigation.
During his incarceration, the plaintiff was transported to the
Nthabesing Thuthuzela Care Centre at
Baragwanath Hospital where he
was examined by a medical practitioner/nurse, whereafter a J88 was
completed. During the said examination
a buccal swab was also taken
from the plaintiff.
[13] Finally, on 24
January 2018 during the plaintiff’s appearance in the Protea
Regional Court, the prosecutor requested
a further remand in the
matter, because the DNA report was unavailable and the matter could
not proceed to trial. The presiding
officer refused a further
postponement and the matter was struck from the court roll.
[14] The plaintiff
therefore remained in custody from the day of his arrest, 19 May 2017
until 24 January 2018.
[15] After some months
and on 31 July 2018, the plaintiff was summonsed to appear in the
Regional Court. While sitting outside the
court someone came and
advised him that the criminal charges were withdrawn against him.
[16] The basis for the
withdrawal were firstly, that the DNA analysis was inconclusive as to
the identity of the assailant and secondly,
the fingerprint found on
the crime scene was not that of the plaintiff but that of Mr Sipho
Msimango.
[17] The plaintiff then
instituted an action against the defendants on the 8
th
November 2018 the trial proceeded on 8 February 2021. It was agreed
between the parties that there would be no separation of merits
and
quantum. The defendants called two witnesses during the trial, namely
Warrant Officer Sithubeni and Mr Khoza, the Regional
Control
Prosecutor stationed at the Soweto, Protea Regional Court. The
plaintiff was the only witness in his case.
[18] Judgment was
delivered on 23 June 2021. The trial Judge found that the arrest of
the plaintiff was unlawful and the following
order was granted;
1.
The first defendant is ordered to pay to
the plaintiff the sum of R25 600.00 for loss of earnings plus
interest at the rate of 10%
per year from 8 November 2018 to date of
payment in full;
2.
The first defendant is ordered to pay to
the plaintiff the sum of R600 000.00 as damages for unlawful arrest
and detention plus
interest at the rate of 10% per year from 8
November 2018 to date of payment in full;
3.
The first defendant is ordered to pay the
plaintiff's costs of the action, including all reserved costs.
Bias of the presiding
officer
[19] The core issue in
this appeal concerns the question of the impartiality by the trial
Judge sitting as court of first instance.
[20] Mr Mhambi, counsel
appearing on behalf of the respondents raised the following ground in
this regard in his heads of argument,
“
Failure
to guard against his feelings
Not only that, in
paragraph 71 of his judgment, the learned Acting Judge indicated that
he ‘have much sympathy for the plaintiff’.
It would
appear that he has never guided his sympathy in terms of the facts as
his analysis of the evidence was selective, and
on the evidence, he
has even failed to state the reason why he rejected the evidence of
the investigating officer which in some
instances, was collaborated
by the evidence of the prosecutor. It is our respectful submission
further that the learned Acting
Judge in this regard was not a
reasonable, objective and informed as a person would on the correct
facts and did not reasonably
apprehend that the justice in question
by not bringing an impartial mind to bear on the adjudication of the
case.”
[21] Mr Naidoo, counsel
appearing on behalf of the plaintiff stated the following in relation
to the argument of bias and impartiality;
“
The
submissions in this paragraph are misguided. It is apparent from the
judgment of the Court
a quo
that the reference to sympathy for the Plaintiff
in paragraph 71 relates to the Court's determination of quantum. To
give the statement
context, the Court
a
quo
stated at paragraph 71:
‘
It
seems to me that the appropriate level at which to set general
damages would be R600 000.00 as at 24 January 2018. I have much
sympathy for the Plaintiff; I had to guard against my sympathy unduly
influencing my award.’
The Appellant’s
imputation that the Court had sympathy for the Plaintiff in its
analysis of the evidence is misguided and
not supported by any
factual submissions and should be rejected.
From a reading of the
judgment, the evidence of the investigating officer was not rejected.
The finding that he acted irrationally
was based on his own evidence.
The prosecutor corroborated the investigating officer's evidence only
in so far as what the investigating
officer told him i.e., which was
also the evidence that he gave in court. From the evidence given by
the investigating officer,
there was no rational basis for the
arrest.
The submissions that the
Honourable Acting Judge was not reasonable, objective and informed...
and did not bring an impartial mind
to bear on the adjudication is
without merit.
The
Appellant has referred this Court to Case Lines pages 053-349 to
053-350. From a reading of the aforementioned pages, it is
respectfully submitted that the Honourable Acting Judge explained
himself regarding his advice to the Plaintiff in the event that
he
receives an award. In any event, it cannot be inferred from the
quoted passage that the Honourable Acting Judge was unreasonable,
not
objective and uniformed and neither can it be inferred that he was
not impartial. It is respectfully submitted that the judgment
of the
Court
a quo
is
well researched and constructed and showed a thorough understanding
of the evidence and the law.”
[22]
Section
165(2) of the Constitution
[1]
requires courts to apply the law impartially and without fear,
favour, or prejudice. The oath of office prescribed by schedule
2 of
the Constitution requires each judge to swear that he or she will
uphold and protect the Constitution and will administer
justice to
all persons alike without fear, favour, or prejudice, in accordance
with the Constitution and the law.
[23]
The Constitutional Court has stated in
President
of the Republic of South Africa & Others v South African Rugby
Football Union & Others
[2]
that
there exists a presumption that a judge is unbiased. This presumption
exists due to the oath that judges take upon being
appointed, as well
their training and experience, which should enable a judge not to let
personal feelings or interests interfere
with his or her duties as a
judge. The person who alleges that a judge has not acted impartially
must accordingly prove the reasonable
grounds upon which such
allegations are based.
[24]
Furthermore, in terms of section 34 of the Constitution, every person
has the right to have any dispute, that can be resolved
by
application of law, decided in a fair public hearing before a court
or another independent and impartial tribunal or forum.
Where a
presiding officer has adjudicated a case in which there is a
reasonable apprehension that such presiding officer might
be biased,
then such conduct is inconsistent with section 34 of the
Constitution.
[25]
In
South
African Human Rights Commission obo South African Jewish Board of
Deputies v Masuku and Another,
[3]
the Constitutional Court said,
[4]
“
All
this to say that the law does not suppose the possibility of bias. If
it did, imagine the bedlam that would ensue. There is
an assumption
that Judges are individuals of careful conscience and intellectual
discipline, capable of applying their minds to
the multiplicity of
cases which will seize them during their term of office, without
importing their own views or attempting to
achieve ends justified in
feebleness by their own personal opinions
[26]
In the
SARFU
matter
supra
at paragraph [35]
it was held:
“
A
cornerstone of any fair and just legal system is the impartial
adjudication of disputes which come before the courts and other
tribunals. … Nothing is more likely to impair confidence in
such proceedings, whether on the part of litigants or the general
public, than actual bias or the appearance of bias in the official or
officials who have the power to adjudicate on disputes.”
[27] At
paragraph [48] the following was said;
“…
At
the same time, it must never be forgotten that an impartial judge is
a fundamental prerequisite for a fair trial and
a
judicial officer should not hesitate to recuse herself or himself if
there are reasonable grounds on the part of a litigant for
apprehending that the judicial officer, for whatever reasons, was not
or will not be impartial
.” [Emphasis]
[28]
In
S
v Le Grange
[5]
the
court confirms:
“
It
must never be forgotten that an impartial judge is a fundamental
prerequisite for a fair trial. The integrity of the justice
system is
anchored in the impartiality of the judiciary. As a matter of policy,
it is important that the public should have confidence
in the courts.
Upon this social order and security depend. Fairness and impartiality
must be both subjectively present and objectively
demonstrated to the
informed and reasonable observer.”
[29]
Since one of the most important
requirements of judicial office is impartiality, being accused of
bias strikes a blow against a
judge’s professional integrity.
Reference to judicial impartiality in this context means that a judge
must be open to persuasion,
without rigidly adhering to personal, and
often preconceived views about an issue. A judge is required to bring
an open mind to
the adjudication process.
[30] In South Africa, the
concept of “
reasonable apprehension of bias
” is
often used in the context of determining whether the present or past
conduct of a presiding officer compromises his/her
position in
relation to the fair and impartial discharge of his/her duties. Where
a judicial officer creates a reasonable impression
that s/he may be
biased, a litigant may ask the judge to recuse him-/herself from
hearing or deciding the matter.
[31]
In
Roberts
v Additional Magistrate for the District of Johannesburg
[6]
Cameron AJA expressed the requirements as follows;
“
[1]
There must be a suspicion that the judicial officer might, not would,
be biased,
[2] The suspicion must be
that of a reasonable person in the position of the accused or the
litigant.
[3] The suspicion must be
based on reasonable grounds.
[4] The suspicion is one
which the reasonable person referred to would, not might have.”
[32] The test for
“
reasonable apprehension of bias
” is an objective
one and the applicant alleging bias or an apprehension of bias bears
the
onus
of proving such. Furthermore, the test must be
applied on a case-by-case basis.
[33]
In
SARFU
supra
,
it was emphasised that the apprehension of the reasonable person must
be considered in the light of the true facts presented at
the
hearing, and any incorrect facts must be ignored in applying the
double reasonable test formulated by the Constitutional Court.
[7]
[34]
Cameron J explained the double reasonable test in the matter of
South
African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union and Others v
Irvin & Johnson Ltd (Seafoods Division, Fish Processing)
[8]
as follows;
“
Not
only must the person apprehending bias be a reasonable person, but
the apprehension itself must in the circumstances be reasonable.
This
two-fold aspect finds reflection also in
S
v Roberts
, decided shortly after
SARFU
,
where the Supreme Court of Appeal required both that the apprehension
be that of the reasonable person in the position of the
litigant and
that it be based on reasonable grounds.”
[35]
In
Take
& Save Trading CC and others v Standard Bank,
[9]
Harms JA stated that a Judge:
“…
is
not simply a ‘silent umpire’ … fairness of court
proceedings requires of the trier to be actively involved
in the
management of the trial, to control the proceedings, to ensure that
public and private resources are not wasted …”
[36]
A presiding officer is accordingly entitled and required actively to
participate in the court proceedings to ensure that the
proceedings
are controlled and regulated, with aim of ensuring a just and fair
process. The participation by a presiding officer
must, however, be
exercised in an impartial and civil manner.
[37]
In the matter of
Mulaudzi
v Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Limited and
Others
[10]
the Supreme Court of Appeal confirmed that an apprehension of bias
may arise from the conduct or utterances of a judicial officer
prior
to or during proceedings, and the following was said;
“
It
is settled law that not only actual bias but also the appearance of
bias disqualifies a judicial officer from presiding (or continuing
to
preside) over judicial proceedings. The disqualification is so
complete that continuing to preside after recusal should have
occurred renders the further proceedings a nullity. The general
principles are well established. They are now enshrined in section
165(2) of the Constitution, which provides ‘the courts are
independent and subject only to the Constitution and the law,
which
they must apply impartially and without fear, favour or prejudice’.
Thus, a judicial officer who sits on a case in
which he or she should
not be sitting, because seen objectively, either he or she is either
actually biased, or there exists a
reasonable apprehension that he or
she might be biased, acts in a manner that is inconsistent with the
Constitution.”
[38]
The crux of the appeal in this case, is whether there was a
reasonable apprehension on part of the first and second Appellants
that the trial Judge was biased, and whether the manner in which the
proceedings were conducted raised a reasonable apprehension
of bias.
[39]
In considering the above question the following remarks made by the
court
a quo
during the trial has to be considered and analysed
to determine whether the Appellant’s perception of bias equates
to a reasonable
apprehension of bias.
[40]
During the cross examination of Mr Khoza by Mr Naidoo on behalf of
the plaintiff, the following transpired:
[11]
“
Court
:
Let him just finish his question please.
Mr
Naidoo
: As
the court pleases.
Court
:
His answer, the witness, did the witness just answer his question
before he said he does not answer your question, you say you
would
read Part A? Mr Khoza?
Mr
Naidoo
:
That is correct M’ord, I would read, I would read Part A which
contain evidence, statement of the witnesses, complainant,
accused
and so forth, for me to make my decisions.
Court
:
But your, sorry Mr Naidoo, but you understand why these questions are
so important, there is a man who spend about 240 days in
prison for a
crime he did not commit. So, there is a, the spotlight is on, on the
prosecuting authority and on the police here.”
[41]
The following line of questioning continued by the trial Judge;
[12]
“
Questions
by the Court
: Mr Khoza.
Mr
Khoza
:
M’ord.
Court
:
The difficulty in this matter is this, a man who was ultimately
innocent was kept in jail 240 days whilst the matter has been
investigated. Now is it common to keep people in jail during
investigation for prolonged periods? Why did you not finish your,
complete your investigation first, before you,
before
the man was kept in custody for so long?
Mr
Khoza
:
M’ord, I am not sure whether the bail, whether the bail was
refused by the court or it was granted. I cannot tell why the
accused
was in custody for so long. It might happen that the court during
bail application refused bail, that would be out of the
prosecution's
hand, but I am not sure of it. I cannot tell you.”
[42]
The reference to the plaintiff as an
innocent person
being
incarcerated for a period of 240 days, could reasonably have
triggered the parties to believe that the court
a quo
might
not be impartial in adjudicating the matter. Referring to the
plaintiff as an innocent person during the hearing of evidence,
before he had testified clearly creates a perception that the
plaintiff was unlawfully arrested, detained and prosecuted and hence
that the issue had already been decided.
[43]
The record further reflects unnecessary comments by the court
a
quo
at the end of the plaintiff’s evidence,
[13]
“
Court
:
Before I excuse Mr Manyoni, I want to say something to you. Mr
Interpreter will you just tell him that please. I have not made
up my
mind in this case. I weigh-up the duties of the police to protect
women and I consider that they should put innocent people
in jail. So
do not assume that I will find in your favour. But if I do, I want to
speak as an older man. Out from matric, did a
degree in Commerce and
a degree in Law. I would never if I receive this much money as you
claim mister, I would not invest it myself.
You must speak if that
happens to someone you can trust like your attorney, to make certain
that you get to a large company who
will take care of you. Because
everyone will try and get
hold of your money. This is your once chance to have a better life.
Mr
Mhambi
:
The Court just proceed, what are you trying to say?
Court
:
I am saying that I am excusing him now.
Mr
Mhambi
:
No, no, no, the allegation that you have made, what are you trying to
say? I mean, it seems you have made your mind already.
Court
:
I have not made up my mind. I have heard all the evidence and I have
not made up my mind.
Mr
Mhambi
: Of
invest coming in, you have not made up your mind?
Court
:
I have not made up my mind, sir.
Mr
Mhambi
:
Now with the issue of investment of money where is it coming from?
Court
:
Yes. Mister, I have given a large amount to leeway in this matter.
When I sit in these matters the one thing that motivates me
most of
all is what I see before me. I have made no offence to this man and I
am going to excuse him now. I have not made up my
mind, I will decide
this matter once I have heard your argument and decided the matter. I
have not decided it upfront; I have decided
it during the matter.
Mr
Naidoo
:
M’ord, my understanding is that you said, if you hold in his
favour.
Court
:
If something happens. am acutely aware of the
suffering
in this country, that is all. I want to excuse this man now and say
to him thank you for his testimony and thank you,
Mr Interpreter.”
[44]
Shortly after the plaintiff was excused by the court the following
exchanges were made between the trial Judge, Mr Mhambi and
Mr
Naidoo;
[14]
“
Court
:
You have said that I have made up my mind.
Mr
Mhambi
;
No, it is not so much about you making up your mind. The Court should
be taking both sides, because you did not make such comments
to the
witness of the defence.
Court
:
Yes.
Mr
Mhambi
:
Now the Court start to occupy a position of a financial advisor that
before or after the accused has been awarded money people
are going
to look after his money, he must get a financial advisor to advise
him about how to invest the money. That is my understanding
of what
you- in the sense of what you are saying. Am if I am correct, I am
really concerned. And if I am not correct, I am might
not be
concerned.
Court
:
What is your concern?
Mr
Mhambi
: Is
that the Court is advising the plaintiffs on how to handle money.
Court
:
You see, I cannot him - if I wanted to advise him. Let me put it this
way.
Mr
Mhambi
:
And the Court made a ...[Intervenes]
Court
:
I think once I have retired, I wanted to do something like this where
I can help poor people with no fee and I will not invest
their money.
But what I see here and I see in every matter and if you have acted
long - if you lived long enough in this town,
seen enough of the
suffering, we see it in every
matter
how people with a Standard 2 education gets injured in a motorcar
collision, gets paid R5 million by the Road Accident Fund
and a year
later all the money is gone. That is all - I cannot say anything more
than what I did. So I stepped at a very narrow
line. I have not
decided whether he will get the money. But that is money that should
carry them through their lives and our system
in this country of what
happens is we not assisting the poor and the uneducated. I am
concerned about that. You have taken offence
about that, I am very
sorry that you take offence, but it was not as a lawyer that I spoke.
I spoke as a man with grey hair who
has lived long enough to see how
our system failed the vulnerable people.
Mr
Mhambi
:
But what should have been done by that giving me a problem, that
person who is on the other side and not by this Court, but seen
all
the time be neutral on the facts and that is what I firmly believe.
Whatever the Court - the Court is human at the end, it
has views and
you have listened to the evidence. The Court must remain neutral so
that even a person on the street can be able
to trust the Court and
including the accused. Now the way you have the tone that the Court
has taken is as if this amount of money
is
guaranteed
it is going to come, it is going to be awarded the accused.
Court
:
I tried to make it very clear that I do not know because have such
sympathy for the police, the situation in
which
the police officer finds himself with the complainant in an attempted
rape case. I thought I made that clear. I sit here and
I look at the
matter from your client's perspective and look at it from the man who
have spent 8 months in jail. I see both sides,
I think.
Mr
Mhambi
: I
doubt if the Court we should take it any further, I think we should
just accept that way and then make it move forward for this
case.
Court
:
But what I thought was a kind thing to do.”
[45]
Mr Mhambi, rightly so, objected to the remarks by the court
a quo
with reference to “
financial advice”
provided to
the plaintiff, prior to the hearing of argument and judgment being
delivered. It is well to remember that it remains
an attorney’s
prerogative to advise the client on financial issues emanating from a
claim in circumstances such as before
this court. It is not for the
trial judge to do so.
[46]
The comments made in this regard were a strong indication that the
court
a quo
at that stage made up its mind that the plaintiff
should be successful in his claim against the respondents. These
remarks reflected
negatively on the impartiality of the court
a
quo.
[47]
The impression was created that the court
a quo
was
predisposed to the particular result and furthermore, the impression
was that the court
a quo
prejudged the matter.
Conclusion
[48]
The remarks by the court
a quo
were unfortunate and are of
concern to this Court.
[49]
It is clear the Appellants have not proved actual bias on the part of
the court
a quo.
[50]
However, having regard to the above comments by the trial Judge
during the proceeding it is probable that a reasonable person
would
have had a reasonable apprehension of bias on the part of the court
a
quo
.
This is a case where there is cogent evidence that demonstrates that
something the trial Judge has done or said gives rise to
a reasonable
apprehension of bias.
[15]
In
applying the
dicta
of
Cameron J not only must a person apprehending bias be a “reasonable
person”, a category into which the respondents
fall, but also
“the apprehension itself must in the circumstances be
reasonable”.
[16]
[51]
In applying the above principles to the facts in this case, the
Appellant has met the requirements of the two-fold test as
referred
to in
SACCAWU
supra.
[17]
In summary the Appellants are considered to be in the category of a
reasonable person and the apprehension itself is reasonable
in the
circumstances.
[52]
In coming to this said conclusion, it is therefore, unnecessary to
discuss any of the further grounds of appeal in the matter.
[53]
During the hearing of this appeal, Mr Mhambi for the Minister asked
us to remit the matter for a fresh trial before another
judge. He
expressly assured us that he was authorised to make the request also
on behalf of the NDPP. In my view, this is the safest
course to
adopt.
[54]
Regarding costs, while the appellant has been successful in setting
aside the decision of the court below, the respondent is
in no way to
blame for what occurred. In these unusual circumstances, the costs in
the appeal, including the costs in the application
for leave to
appeal and in the application to the Supreme Court of Appeal lie
where they fall.
Order
[55] In the
circumstances, the following order is made:
1.
The appeal is upheld.
2.
The judgment and orders dated 24 June 2021
are set aside.
3.
The trial hearing in the action instituted
by the plaintiff against the first and second defendants under case
number 41499/18 in
this court is to commence and be heard
de
novo
by another judge. If the plaintiff
sets the matter down for trial notice must be given to both
defendants.
4.
The costs of the appeal, including the
costs of the application for leave to appeal and the application for
leave to the SCA are
to be carried by the parties.
CSP
OOSTHUIZEN-SENEKAL
Acting
Judge of the High Court
Gauteng
Division, Johannesburg
I
agree
M
MAKUME
Judge
of the High Court
Gauteng
Division, Johannesburg
I
agree
GC
WRIGHT
Judge
of the High Court
Gauteng
Division, Johannesburg
This
judgment was handed down electronically by circulation to the
parties’ representatives by email, by being uploaded to
Case
Lines
and by release to SAFLII. The date and time for
hand-down is deemed to be 16h00 on 17 August 2022.
DATE OF
HEARING:
3 August 2022
DATE JUDGMENT
DELIVERED:
17 August 2022
APPERANCES
:
Attorney
for the Appellant:
State Attorney
Counsel
for the Appellant:
Mr M.H Mhambi
Attorney
for the Respondent:
Logan Naidoo Attorneys
Counsel
for the Respondent:
Mr L Naidoo
[1]
The
Constitution of South Africa, Act 108 of 1994.
[2]
[1999]
ZACC 11
,
2000 (1) SA 1
,
1999 BCLR 1059
(10 September 1999)
[3]
[2022]
ZACC 5
;
2022 (4) SA 1
(CC),
2022 (7) BCLR 850
(CC) (16 February
2022)
[4]
Paragraph
[58].
[5]
[2008]
ZASCA 102
at
[21]
.
[6]
[1999]
4 All SA 285 (SCA).
[7]
Paragraph
[45].
[8]
[2000] ZACC 10
;
2000
(3) SA 705
(CC). (
SACCAWU
)
[9]
2004
(4) SA 1
(SCA) at [3].
[10]
2017
(6) SA 90 (SCA).
[11]
See
Volume 3 case lines 053/233-234.
[12]
Volume
3 case lines 053/265-266.
[13]
Volume
4 Case Lines 053/346-347.
[14]
Volume
4 case lines 348-350.
[15]
See
Masuku
supra
at
paragraph [60].
[16]
Id
at paragraph [64].
[17]
Id
[33].
sino noindex
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