Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996)

Rules

Constitutional Court Rules, 2003

Part VI : Applications

11. Application procedure

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(1)Save where otherwise provided, in any matter in which an application is necessary for any purpose, including-
(a)in respect of a matter contemplated in section 167(4)(a) of the Constitution, and
(b)the obtaining of directions from the Court, such application shall be brought on notice of motion supported by an affidavit as to the facts upon which the applicant relies for relief and shall set out an address within 25 kilometres from the office of the Registrar stating the physical and postal address with facsimile, telephone numbers and an e-mail address, where available, at which he or she will accept notice and service of all documents in the proceedings and shall set forth a day, not less than five days after service thereof on the respondent, on or before which such respondent is required to notify the applicant in writing whether he or she intends to oppose such application and shall further state that if no such notification is given, the Registrar will be requested to place the matter before the Chief Justice to be dealt with in terms of subrule (4).

 

(2)When relief is claimed against any person, authority, government, organ of state or body, or where it is necessary or proper to give any of the aforementioned notice of an application referred to in subrule (1), the notice of motion shall be addressed to both the Registrar and the aforementioned, and shall set out such particulars, including physical address, facsimile, telephone numbers and an e-mail address, where available, of the party against whom the relief is sought, as will enable the Registrar to communicate with such party, otherwise it shall be addressed to the Registrar and shall be as near as may be in accordance with Form 1 or 2, as the case may be.

 

(3)
(a)Any person opposing the granting of an order sought in the notice of motion shall-
(i)within the time stated in the said notice, notify the applicant and the Registrar in writing of his or her intention to oppose the application and shall in such notice appoint an address within 25 kilometres of the office of the Registrar at which he or she will accept notice and service of all documents in the proceedings;
(ii)within 15 days of notifying the applicant of his or her intention to oppose the application lodge his or her answering affidavit, if any, together with any relevant documents, which may include supporting affidavits.
(b)The applicant may lodge a replying affidavit within 10 days of the service upon him or her of the affidavit and documents referred to in paragraph (c) (i)
(c)
(i)Where no notice of opposition is given or where no answering affidavit in terms of paragraph (a)(ii) is lodged within the time referred to in paragraph the Registrar shall within five days of the expiry thereof place the application before the Chief Justice.
(ii)Where an answering affidavit is lodged, the Registrar shall place the application before the Chief Justice within five days of the lodging of the replying affidavit.
(d)The Chief Justice may, when giving directions under subrule (4), permit the lodging of further affidavits.

 

(4)When an application is placed before the Chief Justice in terms of subrule (3)(c), he or she shall give directions as to how the application shall be dealt with and, in particular, as to whether it shall be set down for hearing or whether it shall be dealt with on the basis of written argument or summarily on the basis of the information contained in the affidavits.