Ramaqele and Another v Ramaqele (C of A (CIV) 5 of 2012) [2012] LSCA 27 (27 April 2012)

IN THE COUR T OF AP P E AL OF LE S OTH O In t h e m a t ter b et ween : C OF A (CIV) 5 / 2 0 1 2 THABO R AMAQE LE ‘MAF OKOS E R AMAQE LE MOKH OS I 1 S T AP P E LLANT 2 ND AP P E LLANT a n d ‘MATS E KO R AMAQE LE R E S P ONDE NT COR AM: RAMODIBE DI, P S MALBE RGE R, J A FARLAM, J A HE AR D : DE LIVE R E D : 1 2 APRIL 2 0 1 2 2 7 APRIL 2 0 1 2 S UMMAR Y Ap p lica tion for com m itta l for con tem p t in p r oceed in gs p en d in g in th e High Cou r t – cou r t a qu o a d vis ed of with d r a wa l of a p p lica tion – cou r t n on e th e les s m a k in g fin d in g of con tem p t - cou r t fa ilin g to give th e a p p ella n ts a n op p or tu n ity t o d ea l with t h e a llega tion s of con tem p t or to a ffor d cou n s el a h ea r in g on th eir b eh a lf - a p p ea l a ga in s t or d er of cou r t u p h eld . J UDGME NT S MALBE R GE R , J A: [1 ] Con s equ en t u p on a n u r gen t a p p lica t ion in t h e High Cou r t in wh ich t h e r es p on d en t (a s t h e a p p lica n t ) s ou gh t , in ter a lia , a d ecla r a t or y or d er a ga in s t t h e a p p p ella n t s (a s t h e r es p on d en ts ) d e cla r in g h er a s h eir t o t h e join t es t a te b et ween h er s elf a n d h er d ecea s ed h u s b a n d , t h e c ou r t (Mon a p a t h i J ) gr a n ted a r u le n is i op er a t in g a s a tem p or a r y in ter d ict ca llin g u p on t h e r es p on d en t s t o s h ow ca u s e on t h e r et u r n d a y wh y: “(b ) Fir s t Res p on d en t s h a ll n ot im m ed ia tely d es is t fr om collectin g r en ta l fr om Ap p lica n t ’s fla ts s itu a ted a t Up p er Th a m a e. (c) Fir s t Res p on d en t s h a ll n ot b e d irected to res tore to Ap p lica n t h er h u s b a n d ’s p a s s p or t u r gen tly in or d er to a cces s h is ter m in a l b en efits fr om Sou th Afr ica . (d ) Fir s t Res p on d en t s h a ll n ot b e r es tr a in ed fr om th r owin g Ap p lica n t ou t of h er h ou s e .” For con ven ien ce I s h a ll r efer to t h e p a r t ies a s in t h e cou r t b elow. [2 ] In d u e cou r s e a n s wer in g a n d r ep lyin g a ffid a vit s wer e filed b y t h e r es p on d en t s a n d t h e a p p lica n t r es p ect ively. Th e m a t ter wa s d u ly s et d own for h ea r in g. However , b efor e t h e m a t ter cou ld b e h ea r d , t h e a p p lica n t b r ou gh t a fu r t h er u r gen t a p p lica t ion t o h a ve t h e r es p on d en t s com m it ted for con t em p t of cou r t a r is in g fr om t h eir a lleged fa ilu r e to com p ly wit h t h e ea r lier cou r t or d er . On 3 0 Ma y 2 0 1 1 Ma h a s e J is s u ed a fu r t h er r u le n is i ca llin g u p on t h e r es p on d en t s t o s h ow ca u s e on 6 J u n e 2 0 1 1 wh y, p en d in g th e ou t com e of th e m a in p r oceed in gs : “(a ) Res p on d en t[s ] s h a ll n ot b e ja iled for con tem p t of cou r t . (b ) Res p on d en t[s ] s h a ll n ot b e or d ered to p u r ge th eir con tem p t . Res p on d en t[s ] s h a ll n ot p a y cos ts of s u it .” (c) [3 ] Th e r es p on d en ts filed a n ot ice of in ten t ion t o op p os e on 3 J u n e 2 0 1 1 . Th e r ecor d is s ilen t wit h r ega r d t o wh a t h a p p en ed t h er ea fter . Th e m a t ter even t u a lly ca m e b efor e Ma h a s e J . On 1 6 Decem b er 2 0 1 1 t h e lea r n ed ju d ge d eliver ed a ju d gm en t wh ich a d d r es s ed on ly t h e is s u e of con t em p t of cou r t . Th e fin a l p a r a gr a p h of t h e ju d gm en t r ea d s : “[1 5 ] As s u ch th e s a id r es p on d en ts a r e on ce a ga in or d ered t o p u r ge th eir con tem p tu ou s b eh a vior b efore th ey a n d or th eir cou n s el is h ea r d b y th is cou r t. Th ey a r e a ccord in gly or d ered to p u r ge th eir con tem p t on or b efore th e 3 1 s t J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2 ; a n d fa ilin g com p lia n ce th erewith th ey will b e im p r is on ed u n til wh en th ey h a ve ob eyed th is or d er of cou r t.” [4 ] Th e p r es en t a p p ea l is d ir ected a ga in s t t h e a b ove or d er of Ma h a s e J . Th e m a in gr ou n d s of a p p ea l a r e: th e p a r ties con cern ed , eith er “(1 ) Th e lea r n ed J u d ge a qu o er r ed a n d m is d irected h er s elf in d ea lin g with th e con tem p t a p p lica tion with ou t h ea r in g a ll th rou gh a ffid a vits or or a l a r gu m en t. (2 ) Th e lea r n ed J u d ge a qu o er red a n d m is d irected h er s elf th e con tem p t in d ea lin g with is s u es of con tem p t yet a p p lica tion h a d b een with d r a wn b y con s en t of th e p a r ties .” [5 ] It is clea r fr om h er ju d gm en t t h a t in m a k in g t h e or d er s h e d id Ma h a s e J p r oce ed ed fr om t h e p r em is e t h a t t h e r es p on d en ts wer e gu ilt y of con t em p t of cou r t , a n d t h a t h er con clu s ion in t h a t r ega r d wa s b a s ed on t h e u n a n s wer ed (a n d t h er efor e p rim a f acie u n con t es ted ) a llega t ion s m a d e b y t h e a p p lica n t in h er fou n d in g a ffid a vit con cer n in g t h e r es p on d en t s ’ con d u ct . [6 ] Wh a t p r ecis ely t ook p la ce a t t h e h ea r in g b efor e th e lea r n ed ju d ge is n ot a p p a r e n t fr om t h e a p p ea l r ecor d . Accor d in g t o Ad v. S h a le, wh o a p p ea r ed for t h e r es p on d en t s , th e con tem p t a p p lica t ion d id n ot fea t u r e b efor e h er a s it wa s n o lon ger a n is s u e, t h e p a r t ies h a vin g p r eviou s ly, b efor e t h e r es p on d en t s wer e r equ ir ed t o file t h eir a n s wer in g a ffid a vit s , en ter ed in to s ett lem en t n egot ia t ion s wh ich h a d r es u lted in a n a gr eem en t t o wit h d r a w t h e con t em p t a p p lica t ion . Ma h a s e J h a d b een in for m ed a ccor d in gly, a n d con s eq u en t ly on ly t h e m a in a p p lica t ion h a d b een d ea lt wit h in a r gu m en t b efor e h er . Ad v. Ma n yok ole for t h e a p p lica n t wa s a m b iva len t a n d en t ir ely u n h elp fu l wit h r ega r d t o t h e even t s t h a t h a d occu r r ed . He s eem ed t o d is p u t e t h a t t h e con tem p t a p p lica t ion h a d b een s ett led b et ween t h e p a r t ies a n d b y a gr eem en t b een wit h d r a wn . He even wen t s o fa r a s t o a llege t h a t it h a d b een con ced ed b efor e Ma h a s e J t h a t t h e r es p on d en ts wer e in con t em p t . Th is cou ld clea r ly n ot h a ve b een s o, for r ea s on s t h a t will a p p ea r la ter . [7 ] On a p p ea l we a r e b ou n d b y t h e a p p ea l r ecor d a n d in t h e a b s en ce of a gr eem en t b etween t h e p a r t ies ca n n ot go b eyon d wh a t ca n b e glea n ed fr om it . In p a r a gr a p h 4 of h er ju d gm en t Ma h a s e J r ecor d ed , wit h r ega r d t o t h e con t em p t a p p lica t ion , t h a t “[t ]h is wa s a lleged ly b y con s en t of t h e p a r t ies wit h d r a wn , a lt h ou gh t h er e is n o cou r t m in u t e in d ica t in g t h a t t h e p a r t ies h a d a gr eed t o h a ve s a m e wit h d r a wn ”. S h e la ter a ga in a llu d es (in p a r a gr a p h 1 1 of h er ju d gm en t ) t o t h e fa ct t h a t t h er e is n o cou r t m in u t e r eflect in g t h e wit h d r a wa l of t h e con tem p t a p p lica t ion . [8 ] It is a p p ea r en t fr om Ma h a s e J ’s ju d gm en t th a t s h e wa s in for m ed t h a t t h e con tem p t a p p lica t ion h a d , b y a gr eem en t b etween t h e p a r t ies , b een wit h d r a wn . Th er e is n ot h in g t o s u gges t t h a t t h is wa s ever d is p u t ed on b eh a lf of t h e a p p lica n t . On ce t h e p a r t ies wer e in a gr eem en t in th a t r ega r d , a n d Ma h a s e J wa s s o a d vis ed , t h er e wa s n o n eed for a for m a l n ot ice of wit h d r a wa l t o b e filed for it t o b e effect ive in ter p a rte s . Th e a gr eem en t r ea ch ed wou ld exp la in wh y n o a n s wer in g a ffid a vit s wer e filed a n d t h e a p p lica n t ’s a llega t ion s left u n ch a llen ged . In t h e cir cu m s t a n ces it is h igh ly u n lik ely t h a t t h e r es p on d en t s wou ld h a ve con ced ed , a s s u gges ted b y Ad v. Ma n yok ole, t h a t t h ey h a d r em a in ed in con tem p t . [9 ] Ma h a s e J wen t on t o s t a te in h er ju d gm en t : to b e is fa r too s er iou s Su ch con d u ct grea tly u n d er m in es “[1 2 ] It is th e con s id ered view of th is Cou r t th a t th e con d u ct of th e r es p on d en ts a b ou t wh ich th e a p p lica n t com p la in s ign ored a n d or th e d is rega rd ed . a u th or ity of th is Cou r t, m u ch to th e p reju d ice of th e a p p lica n t. th e a d m in is tr a tion of ju s tice in th is cou n tr y. Th is s h ou ld n ot b e a llowed to p er s is t wh eth er or n ot th e con tem p t of cou r t a p p lica tion is with d r a wn even b y con s e n t of th e a ttor n eys . d is rep u te b r in gs a ls o in to It [1 3 ] Th is Cou r t will h a ve fa iled in th e execu tion of its d u ties if it were to a llow s u ch con d u ct to p ers is t a n d con tin u e u n ch eck ed . It is th e d u ty of th is Cou r t to jea lou s ly gu a r d a ga in s t its in tegr ity a n d to e n s u re th a t its or d er s or ju d gm en ts a re ob eyed .” [1 0 ] I en d or s e t h e views of t h e lea r n ed ju d ge in r ega r d t o t h e d u t y of a cou r t t o en s u r e t h a t it s a u t h or it y is n ot u n d er m in ed b y n on -com p lia n ce wit h it s or d er s . However , in t h e p r es en t in s t a n ce t h ey a r e p r em is ed on a fin d in g t h a t d es p it e t h e a gr eem en t b et ween t h e p a r t ies r ega r d in g t h e wit h d r a wa l of t h e con tem p t a p p lica t ion , t h e r es p on d en t s r em a in ed in con t em p t of t h e cou r t ’s or d er , wh ich in t u r n wa s b a s ed on t h e a p p lica n t ’s u n a n s wer ed a llega t ion s . Wh a t Ma h a s e J over look ed wa s t h e fa ct t h a t t h e a gr eem en t h a d r en d er ed it u n n eces s a r y for t h e r es p on d en t s t o file a n s wer in g a ffid a vit s a n d t h a t t h eir fa ilu r e t o d o s o d id n ot a m ou n t , in t h e cir cu m s t a n ces , t o a n a d m is s ion of t h os e a llega tion s . Accor d in gly s h e wa s n ot en t it led s im p ly t o p r oceed on t h e b a s is t h a t t h e a p p lica n t ’s a llega t ion s wer e tr u e wit h ou t a ffor d in g t h e r es p on d en t s a p r op er op p or t u n it y of r ep lyin g t h er et o or , a t t h e ver y lea s t , t o h a ve a ffor d ed t h e r es p on d en t s ’ cou n s el t h e op p or t u n it y t o a d d r es s h er in t h a t r ega r d . It is clea r fr om h er ju d gm en t t h a t s h e d id n eit h er , a n d t h er efor e d en ied t h e r es p on d en t s a n op p or t u n it y, t o wh ich t h ey wer e en t it led , of d efen d in g t h em s elves a ga in s t t h e a p p lica n t ’s a llega t ion s . In t h a t s h e er r ed . Her con d u ct wa s m a t er ia lly u n fa ir a n d t h e or d er s h e m a d e ca n n ot b e a llowed t o s t a n d . [1 1 ] In t h is r es p ect it is a p p os it e t o d r a w a t t en t ion t o wh a t wa s s a id b y Ga u n t lett J A in Vice -Ch a n cellor of th e Na tion a l Un ive rs ity of Les oth o a n d An oth er v s Pu ts oa LAC (2 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 4 ) 4 5 8 a t 4 6 0 I – 4 6 1 F: “[8 ] In th e fir s t p la ce, it is a p p a ren t – a n d cou n s el b efore u s con fir m ed – th a t th e h ea r in g wh ich p reced ed h er ju d gm en t wa s con fin ed in its a m b it to th e a p p ella n ts ’ in lim in e d efen ces . In effect , th ere wa s a s ep a r a tion of is s u es : fu ll a r gu m en t wa s h ea rd on th e p relim in a r y is s u es , a n d n on e on th e m er its . Yet th e lea r n ed a ctin g ju d ge p u rp or ted n ot m erely to d is m is s th e in lim in e d efen ces , b u t to d ea l with th e m er its too. S h e m a d e a fin d in g on th es e with ou t h ea r in g fu ll a r gu m en t, a n d is s u ed a n ord er d is m is s in g th e en tir e a p p lica tion , with cos ts . [9 ] In th e cir cu m s ta n ces s h e h a d n o en titlem en t to d o s o. If th e lea r n ed a ctin g ju d ge d id n ot wis h to b e con fin ed in h er r u lin g to th e in lim in e p oin ts , s h e s h ou ld h a ve s a id s o in ter m s to cou n s el, a n d given th em a p r op er op p or tu n ity to a d d res s th e m er its . In s im ila r cir cu m s ta n ces , Corbe tt CJ , s a id th is : ‘It wa s u n d ou b ted ly p roced u r a lly in cor r ect for th e tr ia l ju d ge to h a ve th u s teles cop ed th e p r oceed in gs a n d th is ir regu la r ity h eld p oten t ia l p reju d ice [for th e p a r ties ]’. Mars a y v Dille y 1 9 9 2 (3 ) SA 9 4 4 (A) a t 9 6 3 C-D). As a con s equ en ce, th e a p p ea l in th a t m a tter wa s a llowed a n d th e m a tter r em itted for h ea r in g b efore a n oth er ju d ge. [1 0 ] Wh a t th e cou r t a qu o d id in th is m a tter wa s n ot on ly in b r ea ch of b a s ic p r oced u r a l p r in cip les . It wa s a ls o m a ter ia lly u n fa ir . Not on ly a t com m om la w b u t a s a n en tren ch ed (8 )), litiga n ts a r e en titled to a fa ir h ea rin g. In th is ca s e th ey were n ot given on e in rela tion to th e m er its of th e m a tter . th e Con s titu tion r igh t u n d er (s .1 2 [1 1 ] On th is b a s is a lon e th e ju d gm en t a n d ord er s m u s t b e s et a s id e”. It follows t h a t t h e a p p ea l m u s t s u cceed a n d a n a p p r op r ia t e or d er m a d e t o a llow t h e r es p on d en t s t o d efen d t h em s elves a ga in s t t h e a llega t ion s t h a t t h ey wer e in con t em p t of cou r t . [1 2 ] As t h e a p p ea l wa s n eces s ita ted b y t h e ir r egu la r con d u ct of t h e ju d ge a qu o r a t h er t h a n cir cu m s t a n ces ju s t ifyin g a cos t s or d er a ga in s t t h e a p p lica n t it wou ld s eem a p p r op r ia te t o m a k e n o or d er a s t o cos t s in r es p ect of t h e a p p ea l. [1 3 ] Th e followin g or d er is m a d e:- 1 . Th e a p p ea l is a llowed a n d t h e or d er of t h e cou r t a qu o is s et a s id e. 2 . Th e r es p on d en t s a r e t o file a n s wer in g a ffid a vit s in r es p ect of t h e con t em p t a p p lica t ion (CIV/ APN/ 4 6 4 / 1 0 ) wit h in 1 4 d a ys of t h e d a t e of t h is ju d gm en t . 3 . Th e m a t ter is t h er ea fter t o p r oceed in th e n or m a l cou r s e, a n d m u s t even t u a lly b e d ea lt wit h b efor e a n ot h er ju d ge. 4 . Th e Regis tr a r is r equ es ted , in s ofa r a s it m a y b e p os s ib le t o d o s o, t o a ffor d p r ior it y wit h r ega r d t o t h e h ea r in g of t h e m a t ter in d u e cou r s e. 5 . Th er e will b e n o or d er in r es p ect of t h e cos t s of a p p ea l. __________________________ J . W. S MALBE R GE R J US TICE OF AP P E AL I con cu r : I con cu r : ___________________________ M. M. R AMODIBE DI P R E S IDE NT OF THE COUR T OF AP P E AL ____________________________ I. G. F AR LAM J US TICE OF AP P E AL F o r t h e Ap p e lla n t F o r t h e R e s p o n d e n t s : Ad v. M. M. Ma n yok ole : Ad v. S . S h a le