The respondents filed an application on 12 April 2013 for rescission of a default judgment that had been entered against them when they failed to file their plea within the prescribed time limits. The applicant filed and served a notice of opposition on 29 April 2013 within the prescribed time limits. The respondents thereafter failed to file answering affidavits and did not set the matter down for hearing. More than three months passed after the time permitted by the rules (one month) with no action from the respondents. The applicant then filed a chamber application in terms of Rules 136 and 241 (later identified as Rule 236(3)(b)) seeking dismissal of the respondents' rescission application for want of prosecution.
The application was granted. The respondents' rescission application was dismissed for want of prosecution with costs.
Where a party files an application and the opposing party files a notice of opposition, if the applicant fails to file answering affidavits or set the matter down for hearing within one month as required by Rule 236(3)(b) of the High Court Rules, the court may dismiss the application for want of prosecution with costs. The rule is strictly applied and failure to comply with procedural time limits will not be excused where there is no evidence of intention to prosecute the matter.
The court observed that the three-month delay beyond the one-month period permitted by the rules persuaded the court that the respondents harboured no intention in their minds to continue with their rescission application. This suggests that even if there might be some discretion in borderline cases, significant and unexplained delays will be fatal to a party's case.
This case demonstrates the strict application of procedural time limits under the High Court Rules of Zimbabwe and confirms that courts will dismiss matters for want of prosecution where parties fail to comply with prescribed time frames. It reinforces the principle that litigants must prosecute their matters diligently and that failure to do so will result in dismissal with costs. The case clarifies the application of Rule 236(3)(b) in circumstances where the original applicant (in a rescission application) becomes the respondent in the dismissal application.