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IN THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA

GAUTENG LOCAL DIVISION, JOHANNESBURG

WEDNESDAY 21^ST MAY 2025

 

THE DEFAULT MODE OF HEARING OF MATTERS IS IN PHYSICAL COURT

 

EVEN THOUGH THE DEFAULT MODE OF HEARINGS IS PHYSICAL, JUDGES MAY ELECT TO PROCEED VIRTUALLY

 

LITIGANTS ARE TO CONFIRM THE MANNER IN WHICH THE HEARING WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE PRESIDING JUDGE

 

IN VIRTUAL HEARINGS, THE LINK WILL BE CREATED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND CIRCULATED TO THE LITIGANTS

 

OPPOSED MOTION

 

9C    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE MABESELE J

 

9D    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE ADAMS J

 

9F    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE RAUBENHEIMER AJ

 

8F    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE NAIR AJ

 

8E    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE WIJNBEEK AJ

 

INSOLVENCY COURT

 

8D    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE LOXTON AJ

 

SPECIAL MOTION

 

8C    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE FISHER J

2023-018685

 

UNOPPOSED MOTION

 

GC    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUGDE MUDAU J

 

GD    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE MALI J

 

GE    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE NOKO J

 

URGENT APPLICATIONS

 

9A    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE CRUTCHFIELD J

 

9B    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE WANLESS J

 

INCOME TAX COURT

 

BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE BAM J

(IT46495; IT46040)

 

FAMILY COURT

 

11B BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE LIEBENBERG AJ

 

11C BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE R. LANGE AJ

 

11A BEFORE THE HONOURBLE JUDGE M VAN NIEUWENHUIZEN AJ

 

SPECIAL INTERLOCUTORY COURT

 

GB   BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE ALLY AJ

 

RAF DEFAULT JUDGMENT COURT

 

8A    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE MAKGATE AJ

 

Video-link BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE C PRINSLOO AJ

 

FULL COURT APPEAL – CIVIL

 

11F BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE WINDELL J

 

AND BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE MAIER-FRAWLEY J

 

AND BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE MOTHA J

A2024-061772          A2024-058081  A2024-091672

 

COMMERCIAL COURT

 

Offsite facility    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE DIPPENAAR J

2021/58293

 

CIVIL TRIAL OF LONG DURATION

 

1A     BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE MFENYANA J

 

GA   BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE MATTHYS AJ

2020/14107

 

GENERAL CIVIL TRIALS

 

BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE WRIGHT J

 

8D    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE YACOOB J

 

11E BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE SENYATSI J

 

6A    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE MIA J

 

6E    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE DLAMINI J

 

6C    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE COWEN J

 

6F    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE THOBANE AJ

 

8B    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE NTHAMBELENI AJ

 

6B    BEFORE THE HONOURABLE JUDGE DE SOUZA-SPAGNOLETTI AJ

 

THE CIVIL TRIAL ROLL BEFORE SUTHERLAND DJP.

 

THERE SHALL BE NO PHYSICAL TRIAL ROLL CALL.

 

PARTIES MUST COMPLY STRICTLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAGH 19 OF THE REVISED CONSOLIDATED PRACTICE DIRECTIVE 01 OF 2024 (With

effect from 26 February 2024 and amended on 12 June 2024)

 

Regarding Practice Notes:

 

1.     What is envisaged is a practice note filed shortly before the trial after a last check on whether a trial is necessary at all, and if so, how expeditiously can it be conducted. Axiomatically this assessment can only be made shortly before trial.

 

2.     In several instances, a practice note is filed months before the trial date. This is of no value in declaring the status quo on the eve of trial. When matters are struck off because no recent practice note was filed, parties are understandably disappointed. The recent practice note is critical to the optimal utilisation of court time, and it must therefore be so that it must indeed be recent.

 

3.     Litigants’ attention is drawn to paragraphs 19.3, 19.4 and 19.5 of Practice Directive 01 of 2024 which came into effect from 26 February 2024 and which were amended on 12 June 2024. The practice note, prepared in accordance with the practice note templates annexed to the Directive must be uploaded not earlier than 7 court days and not later than 5 court days before the hearing set-down. If no practice note is timeously uploaded (or uploaded after the cut-off date), the matter shall automatically be removed from the roll, and the date forfeited. If the practice note is non-compliant with the practice manual or Practice Directive 01 of 2024, the matter shall be automatically removed and similarly the date forfeited. The provision shall be strictly applied.

 

4.     LAST DATE TO SUBMIT PRACTICE NOTES: WEDNESDAY, 14 MAY 2025

 

JUDGES, ACTING JUDGES AND LITIGANTS ARE REMINDED OF CHAPTER 6.9 OF THE PRACTICE MANUAL DATED OCTOBER 2018 WHICH DEALS WITH THE PROCEDURE TO ENROLL PART-HEARD CIVIL TRIALS

 

NOTE ON CIVIL TRIALS WHERE ON THE DAY IT IS CALLED THE PARTIES ANNOUNCE A DESIRE TO SETTLE

 

1.     Judges and Acting Judges serving in the civil trial court must be circumspect when confronted by parties who seek a stand-down to settle.

2.     Valuable judicial time is squandered whilst waiting on an agreement to be produced, if at all.

3.     The standard procedure is that if a trial is not ready to run at 10h00 on the set down date it should be removed with no costs order. The judge is then available to take the next case.

4.     In a case where the parties do settle in that week, an agreement can be brought to the judge who was presiding for it to be made an order. If settled later, the opportunity to re-enrol it on the settlement roll on one weeks’ notice remains available

5.     The cases awaiting a judge’s attention must not be left to linger and risk being crowded out.

6.     The abuse by parties is particularly prevalent in RAF cases.

 

NUMBER ON ROLL	CASE NO	PARTIES	DATE TRIAL DATE APPLIED FOR	DATE TRIAL DATE GRANTED	ALLOCATION/ORDER GRANTED
PART A: GENERAL CIVIL TRIALS
PART B: ROAD ACCIDENT FUND
1.	2021/49003	RAND MUTUAL ASSURANCE VS ROAD ACCIDENT FUND Plaintiff: Adv Z Maluleke Defendant: Mr D Sondlani Merits and quantum (separation of issues) Estimated duration; 2 – 3 days Inspection in loco Interpreter to be used	30/05/2023	11/08/2023
2.	2017/56528	MUBAIWA VINAH VS ROAD ACCIDENT FUND	15/05/2023	16/05/2023	No practice note (as set out in paragraphs 19.3, 19.4 and 19.5 of the Judge President’s Practice Directive 01 of 2024 as amended on 12 June 2024) was uploaded to the electronic file – Matter is struck off from the trial roll.

 

3.	2022/043457	TREZLIN MIKYLE REEBY VS ROAD ACCIDENT FUND Plaintiff: Adv N Motala Defendant: Mr D Sondlani Merits Pre-trial conference: 26 May 2023 Minutes filed: 26 May 2023 Estimated duration: 1 – 2 days	24/05/2023	15/06/2023
4.	2022-048356 Court Online	MUKHARI VONGANI NURSE VS ROAD ACCIDENT FUND Plaintiff: Adv L Mathebula Defendant: Mr D Sondlani Estimated duration: 1 – 2 days Pre-trial conference: 12 July 2023 Quantum (general damages; future loss of earnings; past and future medical expenses)	12/07/2023	24/07/2023
5.	2020/16874	KHUMALO BULELWA HEAVYGIRL VS ROAD ACCIDENT FUND Plaintiff: Ms N Davidson Defendant: Mr L Klaas Quantum (general damages; loss of earnings; future medical expenses) Estimated duration: 1 day Pre-trial conference: 13 July 2023	17/07/2023	24/07/2023

 

6.	2022/00276	SHEZI SIPHAMANDLA VS ROAD ACCIDENT FUND Plaintiff: Adv A van der Merwe Defendant: Ms S Ameersingh Quantum (loss of earnings; earning capacity) Pre-trial conference; 27 July 2023 Minutes filed: 03 August 2023 Estimated duration: 1 – 2 hours (if argued); 1 – 2 days (if evidence led) Interpreter to be used	18/07/2023	31/08/2023
7.	2022/6522	MTSHALI ANELE HELEN OBO MINOR VS ROAD ACCIDENT FUND	11/08/2023	18/08/2023	No practice note (as set out in paragraphs 19.3, 19.4 and 19.5 of the Judge President’s Practice Directive 01 of 2024 as amended on 12 June 2024) was uploaded to the electronic file – Matter is struck off from the trial roll.
8.	2021/24748	KOIHITLHETSE MAPHEFO MITTAH VS ROAD ACCIDENT FUND	20/07/2023	17/08/2023	No practice note (as set out in paragraphs 19.3, 19.4 and 19.5 of the Judge President’s Practice Directive 01 of 2024 as amended on 12 June 2024) was uploaded to the electronic file – Matter is struck off from the trial roll.

 

MATTERS REMOVED FROM THE ROLL BY NOTICE
MATTERS NOT ON THE ROLL, COURT FILES ARE NOT WITH ROLL CALLING JUDGE 1.                            The civil trial roll is submitted to the Office of the Deputy Judge President by the Registrar approximately nine (09) court days before the trial date and was correct when it reached the Secretary of the Deputy Judge President. 2.                            The roll received from the registrar’s office is then posted on the website of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates approximately five (05) court days before the trial date, where litigants may inspect the roll. 3.                            The failure of the registrar to include matters on the roll must be taken up with the Registrar by no later than five (05) court days before the trial date. For that purpose, kindly approach the registrar, Ms N Mvumbi (NMvumbi@judiciary.org.za / 010 494 8399) timeously to enquire about the enrolment. 4.                            If the registrar approves the enrolment, the matter may be enrolled and dealt with. If the registrar declines the enrolment, the parties may apply for a new trial date in terms of the existing Practice Directives. Last-minute enquiries will not be accommodated.

 

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