Children's Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005)RegulationsRegulations relating to Children's Courts and International Child Abduction, 2010Chapter IV : International Child Abduction23. Expeditious handling of proceedings |
| (1) | Proceedings for the return of a child under the Hague Convention must be completed within six weeks from the date on which judicial proceedings were instituted in a High Court, except where exceptional circumstances make this impossible. |
| (2) | The following procedural steps are intended to ensure that applications under the Hague Convention are handled expeditiously: |
| (a) | A High Court file must be clearly marked and must— |
| (i) | draw attention to the nature of the application; and |
| (ii) | state the date on which the six week period will expire; |
| (b) | priority must, where necessary, be given to these applications; |
| (c) | the transcript of the judgement and its approval must be expedited; and |
| (d) | the transcript of the judgment and its approval must be sent to the Central Authority of the Republic without delay. |