Grahamstown • 6140 • South Africa

FACULTY OF LAW • Tel: (046) 603 8427/8 • Fax: (046) 6228960

Web Page: http://www.ru.ac.za/academic/faculties/law

CIVIL PROCEDURE A - 2023

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Overview

The Civil Procedure Course is a compulsory semester course undertaken in the first
semester of the penultimate year of the LLB degree.

The purpose of the course is to introduce students to basic civil procedure in the
Magistrate’s and High court. The course covers civil jurisdiction, locus standi, action
proceedings including the process from letter of demand to trial as well as commonly used
interlocutory applications such as summary judgment, exceptions, and Applications to
Strike Out.

It is designed to complement the Legal Practice course. The Legal Practice course
focuses on the development of legal skills, whilst the civil procedure course focuses on
the necessary theoretical background and practical application of procedures and rules of
practice.

The course is assessed by way of one examination written in June, as well as class
work comprising of one written assignment and one test.

1.2 Credit Value

10 credits.

1.3 Assumptions of Prior Learning

In order to be able to successfully complete this course, students must:

▪ be able to read and write good English;
▪ be able to express themselves clearly and coherently in English as a precursor to
developing good drafting skills;
▪ have a working knowledge of the foundations of our law including basic causes of
action in areas such as contract, delict and the structure of our courts;
▪ be capable of independent learning and research;
▪ be able to work in groups.

Civ Proc A (2022)

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2. OUTCOMES

2.1 Critical Outcomes

Students will be able to:

▪ Collect, analyse and evaluate information from statutes, case law and
other source materials;
▪ Interact and apply court acts and rules;
▪ Work in groups;
▪ Communicate effectively and use technology;
▪ Identify and solve problems.

2.2 Intended Specific Outcomes

At the end of the course, students should have achieved the following outcomes:

▪ To understand the reason for the existence of civil rules of practice, given the
historical and cultural context in which the rules developed.
▪ To understand and identify the preliminary issues involved in civil procedure such
as locus standi, jurisdiction and causes of action;
▪ To understand the difference between application and action proceedings;
▪ To know and understand the order, purpose and content of major pleadings in
Magistrate’s and High court such a summons, appearance to defend, declaration,
plea and counterclaim;
▪ To know and understand the purpose and content of specific interlocutory
applications such as exceptions, irregular proceedings, applications to strike out
and summary judgment;
▪ The ability to identify the legal procedure to be followed to dispose of a matter
through litigation from a given set of facts.

3. TEACHING METHODS

The course is taught by Mr Shaun Bergover and Ms Cecile Van Schalkwyk. It has been
divided into specific topics which will be covered in the form of viva voce lectures. Students
are expected to read ahead of the next lecture so that they may participate in the lecture
and solve legal problems either individually or in groups. Exercises will also be placed on
RUCONNECTED ahead of some classes which will be discussed at the class. There is
no comprehensive handout for the course and as such, students will be expected to take
their own notes during lectures and to supplement these notes with readings provided in
the course outline. It is expected that students assume responsibility for their own learning
by independent study according to the guidance provided by the detailed course outline.
Feedback for assignments and tests will usually be given in class as well as on the actual
script where necessary. Students are referred to the Faculty’s ‘Law Student’s Survival
Guide’ in respect of DP requirements for attendance of lectures. Students are welcome to
discuss problems with the lecturers.
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4. COURSE CONTENT

▪ Introduction to civil procedural law

- Background and context of civil procedure in South Africa
▪ Overview of Civil Procedure
- The court system and key officials, the sheriff, stages of a dispute, action
vs application procedure.
▪ Pre litigation Issues
- Cause of action, locus standi, jurisdiction.
▪ Pleading Stage
- The summons, particulars of claim, service of the summons, default
judgment, notice of intention to defend, declaration, exceptions, irregular
proceedings, application to strike out, plea ,counterclaim and replication.
▪ Selected Interlocutory Applications
- Summary judgment
▪ Pre Trial Proceedings
- Discovery, pre-trial conference and further particulars for purposes of trial.

5. RESOURCES

This is designed to give some guidelines as to the most important aspects of each topic
and assist in preparation for lecture sessions. There is no specifically prescribed textbook,
but it is highly recommended that students purchase the following book as it will be used
as the primary reference work in class:

S Pete et al Civil Procedure: A Practical Guide (2016) 3 ed OUP

In addition to the above, the following texts will be of great assistance:

▪ Cilliers, Loots and Nel Herbstein and Van Winsen The Civil Practice of the High Courts and
the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa (2009) 5 ed Juta.
▪ C Theophilopoulos et al Fundamental Principles of Civil Procedure (2015) 3 ed LexisNexis
▪ Harms Civil Procedure in the Superior Courts (loose leaf) Butterworths
▪ Juta's Statute Editors The Supreme Court Act and Magistrates' Courts Act and Rules Juta
(The Acts can be found electronically on Netlaw);
▪ Van Loggerenberg et al Erasmus: Superior Court Practice (loose leaf) Juta;
▪ Paterson Eckard’s Principles of Civil Procedure in the Magistraties’ Courts (2005) 5 ed Juta
▪ Mullins and Da Silva Morris Technique in Litigation (2010) 6 ed Juta;
▪ Van Loggerenberg Jones & Buckle: The Civil Practice of the Magistrates’ Courts in South
Africa (loose leaf) vols 1 & 2, Juta.
▪ Harms Amlers Precedents of Pleadings (2015) 8 ed
▪ Marnewick Litigation Skills for South African Lawyers (2012) 3 ed
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Besides the texts on civil procedure, students will need to consult other sources, in
particular:

▪ Chapters 2 and 8 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

▪ Supreme Court Act 59 of 1959, Magistrate’s Courts Act 32 of 1994 and various other acts
also regulate procedural aspects. References are given in Fundamental Principles.
▪ Students will be referred to relevant journal articles and cases during the course.

6. STUDENT ASSESSMENT

6.1 ASSESSMENT BREAKDOWN

The percentage mark allocation for the course will be broken down as follows:

Test 15
Assignment 15
Examination 70
100

6.2 ASSESSMENT OUTCOMES

Specific Outcomes Assessment Criteria Assessment Tasks

At the end of this The evidence students must provide How evidence of
course, students in order to show that they are competence is collected
should be able to: competent

▪ Understand the ▪ The students is able to identify ▪ Written Test

background of, the context and purpose of rules ▪ Written
and the need in civil litigation examination
for, civil
procedure rules
in South Africa
▪ Identify ▪ The student is able to correctly ▪ Written Test
preliminary identify issues of standing, ▪ Written
issues in civil jurisdiction as well as identify examination
procedure the cause of action in matters
▪ Understand the ▪ The student is able to identify ▪ Written Test
difference the appropriate proceedings to ▪ Written
between action follow from a given set of facts examination
and application and explain why. ▪ Class exercises
proceedings
▪ Know and ▪ A student is able to understand ▪ Written Test
understand the which pleading to file and what
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purpose and stage of a dispute. Furthermore, ▪ Written

content of major a student is able to list and Examination
pleadings discuss the content of the ▪ Class Exercises
pleading. ▪ Written Assignment
▪ Identify the ▪ Students are able to correctly ▪ Written
legal procedure apply their knowledge of civil Examination
to be followed in procedure to a given set of ▪ Written Test
a specific facts.
matter

7. EVALUATION

This course is evaluated by the students by completing a course evaluation form that
requires students to respond to specific questions that invite them to make comments
about good and bad aspects of the course.

8. CONTACT DETAILS

▪ Mr. Shaun Bergover ([email protected])

o Law Clinic, 41 New Street, Grahamstown.
▪ Ms. Cecile Van Schalkwyk ([email protected] or [email protected])
o Legal Resources Centre, 116 High Street, Grahamstown