THE retail giant
Katjipuka-Sibolile, representing Nafau, said the court should view the company's "brazen conduct" in a serious light and express its dissatisfaction by ordering Shoprite to pay the union's legal costs in the matter before the court on a higher-than-normal scale.
In the order issued on 8 January, judge Shafimana Ueitele directed that
The strike ended after the company and the employees agreed on pay increases this past Saturday.
Nafau is claiming that
A court order should be complied with from the time it is given, Katjipuka-Sibolile said during her arguments.
"Compliance with court orders is not a matter of choice, it's not up for negotiation," she said.
Tuhafeni Muhongo, representing
While acknowledging that the 8 January order needed to be obeyed, Muhongo also said the company is appealing against the order. He suggested to the judge that an appropriate order in the matter now would be to put the case on hold pending the outcome of the appeal.
If the judge decided not to halt proceedings in the matter, the company should be allowed to first file a response to the accusations that it flouted the 8 January order with the court, Muhongo added.
Parker reserved his judgement after hearing the lawyers' arguments.
The judgement is due to be delivered by 9 March.
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