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[1]     On 28 November 2018, I heard an urgent application in which the Applicants sought an order in the following terms:

1.     “Directing that this application is to be heard on an expedited basis in terms of the provisions of rule 6 (12) (a) of the Uniform Rules of Court;

2.    Declaring that in providing biometric consents in respect of their EasyPay Everywhere (“EPE”) accounts held with the fifth respondent, to the first respondent (via its agent Cash Paymaster Services (Pty) Limited (“CPS”)), social grant beneficiaries have satisfied the requirements of regulation 21 (1) of the Regulations Relating to the Application for and Payment of Social Assistance and the Requirements or Conditions in respect of Eligibility for Social Assistance (“the Social Assistance Regulations”);

3.    Interdicting the first respondent from stopping to pay any social grant into an EPE account in respect of which biometric consent was provided by the relevant beneficiary to CPS prior to 1 January 2018;

4.    Directing the first respondent to process all Annexure C forms duly completed and submitted by social grant beneficiaries in respect of their EPE accounts held with the fifth respondent, within two weeks of the date of submission;

5.    Directing the first respondent to pay social grants into bank accounts identified by beneficiaries in their duly completed and submitted Annexure C forms;

6.   Directing that the costs of this application are to be paid by the first and second respondents, alternatively jointly and severally by the first and second respondents, and any other respondents opposing it.”