News update: Labour court’s online system for urgent applications will be active from 12 August 2024

On 31 July 2024, the Acting Judge President of the Labour Court and the Labour Appeal Court, Edwin Molahlehi issued a directive regarding the implementation of the Court Online system for urgent applications in the Labour Court.

The AJP has determined that all urgent applications that have complied with the new Rule 38 of the Labour Court Rules, will be initiated on Court Online with effect from 12 August 2024. The directive also states that unless specifically directed or mandated to initiate an existing matter on the Court Online system, no other existing cases may be initiated on Court Online.

Essentially, this means that as of 12 August 2024, litigants wishing to bring an urgent application in terms of Rule 38 of the New Labour Court Rules must do so via the Court Online Portal.

The Directive provides guidance on initiating urgent applications, the uploading of documents to the portal, providing access to Judge’s secretaries, service, closure of the urgent roll, hearing of urgent applications, as well as draft and court orders.

The effect of introducing the Court Online system in the Labour Courts is to streamline the filing of pleadings as well as the ease of managing evidence instantaneously online. This will bring the Labour Courts one step closer to uniformity with the Superior Courts of South Africa and may ultimately lead to a full implementation of the Court Online system in the Labour Court.

Article by David Short | Director and Ciara Pillay | Candidate Attorney