IN THE LABOUR COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
HELD IN PORT ELIZABETH
Case no. P 45/99
In the matter between:
Zamiwonga Magaqa Applicant
AND
Commissioner Botha Du Plessis 1st Respondent
Commission for Conciliation Mediation
and Arbitration 2nd Respondent
Auditor General 3rd Respondent
JUDGMENT
MLAMBO J.
1. This is an application for the review of a decision of the Commission for
Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (“the Commission”) refusing to grant
condonation for the applicant’s late referral of a dispute.
2. The pertinent facts of the matter are that the applicant resigned as an employee of
the auditor general with effect from 20 December 1997. He allegedly resigned as
a result of what he perceived to be his employer’s conduct of making continued
employment intolerable for him.
3.
4. It appears from the applicant’s founding affidavit that he instructed attorneys
whose brief is not clear. The applicant states in his affidavit that he instructed
attorneys to act in his best interests and on his behalf in resolving internally the
problems he was experiencing with the auditor general’s refusal to transfer him
from Cape Town to the Eastern Cape.
5. It appears that the attorneys did nothing and when the applicant, allegedly,
discovered this state of affairs he terminated their mandate and referred a dispute
to the Commission on 15 November 1998. The referral was therefore some
eleven (11) months out of time.
6. It is trite that in cases where condonation is sought good cause must be shown. In
other words the applicant must, inter alia, provide a satisfactory explanation for
the delay in referring the matter. This court has also followed a long line of cases
to the effect that there is a limit up to which a person can hide behind his legal
representative’s negligence.
7. It is also trite that the Commissioner who considered the condonation application
had a discretion which he had to exercise judicially. For this application to
succeed it must be shown that the commissioner failed to exercise his discretion
or that he ignored the material before him and relied on irrelevant facts or facts
not before him.
8. The applicant’s request for condonation is set out in a letter dated 9 November
1998. The letter set out the following:
“LETTER OF CONDONATION ON THE MATTER BETWEEN MAGAQA Z
VERSUS OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL
Dear Sir/ Madam
I am writing this letter in connection with the submission of my LRA 711 forms to
the CCMA on the 10 th of October 1998 whereas my dispute arose the 29 th of July
1997 letter to that effect is attached on the forms. As you are aware that state
matters take long time to be attended, this is evident by letters that were sent to the
Office of the Auditor General on this matter from my lawyers whilst I was waiting
for the outcome I decided not to take this matter with your office as my lawyers
referred the matter to the State Advocate Notshe for his own opinion, on the advise
of my lawyers whilst the case was still on after Mr Van der Merwe threatened me
that if I don’t report in Cape Town he is going to treat my case as if I have
absconded, as I was advised to resign by my lawyers but I make it a point that I was
forced to do that on my letter of resignation see attached copy on the forms.
After all avenues were exhausted on this matter and no positive results yielded I
decided on the advise of my lawyers to refer this matter to you i.e CCMA. I was not
able to refer it within 30 days as stated because of that. As all documentary
evidence to this effect were submitted. This case is not on your system yet.
Judging by the response of Mr Hennie Van der Merwe of the Office of the Auditor
General on the letters I have submitted as evidence, we were dealing with a man
General on the letters I have submitted as evidence, we were dealing with a man
who doesn’t care for a black person in other words he has got no interest of a
human being at heart so it took us some time to come to this decision of referring
the matter to you because of his arrogance.
Hoping that this will suffice. If more information is needed my contact numbers are
083 740 4010 or (0403) 625041
Yours faithfully
Zamiwonga Magaqa”
9. This letter contains no facts whatsoever on which the late referral of the dispute
could be condoned. This letter therefore provided the commissioner with no basis
on which the late referral could be condoned. In papers before the court no case
is also made out on which this court can conclude that the late referral was
condonable.
10. At most the letter displays the actions of a person(s) who were oblivious of the
Labour Relations Act no. 66 of 1995 (“the Act”) and its provisions. Whilst the
applicant attempts to attach blame on his attorneys for the late referral, he fails to
name these attorneys and to explain what their brief was. He also fails to set out
in any detail what he personally did to ensure that the matter was not delayed
unduly.
11. It is also correct that the extent of the delay is unreasonably long, some 11
months. A condonation request of a referral this late must contain reasons
occasioning such a lengthy delay. Prospects of success also seem doubtful as the
applicant resigned under circumstances believed by him to justify it.
12. It is apparent from the reasons furnished by the commissioner that the contents of
the applicant’s letter seeking condonation were considered, as well as the input
from the auditor general. The commissioner’s reasons further shows that he
considered both parties’ submissions and applied his mind to those submissions.
Having considered all the above the court is of the view that the commissioner’s
decision to refuse condonation can be justified in relation to the reasons given for
it. It follows therefore that the application must fail.
13. The order of the court is therefore:
14. The application for review is dismissed.
15. There is no order as to costs.
MLAMBO J.
Date of judgment: 17 June 1999