Zimbabwe Open University v Perpetual Joy Ndekwere

Judgment No. SC 52/19

Analyze with AI

Case Details

Court

Supreme Court

Date

13 June 2019

Citation

Judgment No. SC 52/19

Neutral Citation

[2019] ZWSC 52

Judgment No.

SC 52/19

Outcome

unknown

Case Type

Appeal

Bench

Presiding

Garwe JA

Full Bench

Garwe JAGuvava JAMavangira JA

Areas of Law

Labour LawAdministrative Law

Keywords

Legitimate ExpectationPoint in LimineGrounds of AppealFixed Term ContractArbitration

Key Issues

{"issue_text":"Whether the Labour Court erred in finding that the grounds of appeal did not raise points of law.","issue_type":"procedural","dispositive":"yes","related_facts":"The nature of the grounds of appeal filed in the Labour Court."}
{"issue_text":"Whether the Labour Court should have dismissed the appeal or struck it off the roll.","issue_type":"procedural","dispositive":"no","related_facts":"The Labour Court's finding that the appeal was invalid."}
{"issue_text":"Whether the respondent had a legitimate expectation of her contract being renewed.","issue_type":"mixed","dispositive":"yes (on remittal)","related_facts":"The recommendations for renewal and the acting appointment."}

This summary was generated by AI. Use Zalari to read the full judgment.

background

Facts of the Case

Background

The respondent was employed by the appellant as Finance Director on a fixed-term contract. Before its expiry, committees recommended her contract be renewed. However, upon expiry, she was appointed in an acting capacity indefinitely. Over a year later, she was given three months' notice of termination. The arbitrator found she had a legitimate expectation of renewal and was unfairly dismissed. The Labour Court dismissed the appellant's appeal on a procedural point, leading to this Supreme Court appeal.

Read the full judgment, get AI analysis, and find related cases

Open in Zalari →

Zalari is Zimbabwe and Southern Africa's leading AI-powered legal research platform, built by DeepCounsel and powered by Nyamaropa Technologies. Search Zimbabwe Supreme Court and High Court case law instantly, get AI-generated answers with full source citations, and access the most comprehensive corpus of Zimbabwean and Southern African jurisprudence available online. Zalari is the go-to legal AI platform for attorneys, advocates, law students, judges, and corporate counsel across Zimbabwe and South Africa — delivering faster research, smarter insights, and a competitive edge in legal practice. Zalari does not provide legal advice. Always consult a qualified legal practitioner for advice specific to your situation. © 2026 DeepCounsel — a legal technology company democratising access to legal knowledge in Africa.