The matter arose from a previous case (HC 963/16) heard on 6 April 2017, where the court found irreconcilable disputes of fact and directed the matter to proceed to trial. The court ordered that the applicants' affidavits serve as summons, that a declaration be filed within 10 days, and that the respondent file a plea within 10 days of receiving the declaration. The first respondent, acting for both respondents, served the declaration on the applicant on 4 May 2017. The declaration was long and winding, prompting the applicant to request further particulars on 15 May 2017 (within the 10-day period). Instead of furnishing the particulars, the respondents issued a "Notice of Bar to Defendant Rule 59" claiming the applicant had failed to file his plea within 10 days. The applicant wrote to the respondents on 24 May 2017 pointing out that: (1) the request for particulars was made within 10 days, (2) the declaration's contents made it impossible to plead without clarification, and (3) no automatic bar could be issued without first serving a notice to plead under Rule 80. The respondents refused to withdraw the bar, leading to the current application (HC 4934/17) for upliftment of the bar.
1. No bar operates against the applicant under HC 963/16; 2. The respondents pay the costs of this application on a higher scale.
A request for further particulars made within the time prescribed for filing a plea constitutes compliance with a court directive to plead, as it falls within the legitimate procedural steps necessary to enable a defendant to properly understand and respond to a plaintiff's case. A notice of bar that does not comply with the procedural requirements of Rules 80 and 81 of the High Court Rules is a nullity and need not be set aside by court order, as a void act is automatically null and void. Court directives regarding pleadings should be interpreted in their proper context to give effect to the rules of fair play and natural justice, rather than being construed narrowly to create technical defaults.
The court observed that the respondents, being self-actors (litigants in person), were forgiven for their misconstruction of the rules of court. The court made general observations about the nature of litigation, stating that it is "serious business" and "not a game of chance or ambush" but rather "reposes itself in the rules of fair play." The court also noted that the application for upliftment of the bar was "not necessary at all" given that the purported bar was not a bar at all. The court remarked that "nothing can be removed from nothing" in reference to the attempt to lift a bar that was void ab initio. The court cited with approval the principle from MacFoy v United Africa Co Ltd that when an act is void, it is a nullity that is "incurably bad" and "automatically null and void without more ado," though it may be convenient for a court to declare it so.
This case is significant in Zimbabwean civil procedure as it clarifies that: (1) a request for further particulars made within the time prescribed for filing a plea is a legitimate procedural step and does not constitute default; (2) bars must be properly issued in accordance with the correct rules of court (Rules 80 and 81), and failure to comply renders the bar a nullity; (3) courts will interpret procedural directives broadly in accordance with principles of fair play and natural justice, not narrowly to create technical traps for litigants; (4) litigation is governed by rules of fair play, not ambush, and parties cannot be expected to plead to unclear or vague pleadings without first obtaining clarification. The judgment protects the rights of litigants to properly understand the case against them before being required to respond, and prevents abuse of barring procedures.