Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum 3 (2) The election of a respondent shall not be rendered void in terms of paragraph (a) of section 124 of the Act, nor shall he or his election agent be made subject to any incapacity in terms of paragraph (b) of that section, upon a finding that any contravention of Part XX or Part XXI of the Act was committed with reference to the election, and the doing of anything in connection with, arising out of or resulting from the general election … which is or may be such a contravention is to that extent hereby validated and shall not be deemed to be such a contravention.’ Even lawyers known to favour Zanu-PF thought this instrument unconstitutional, together with the State President’s action.lxxxviii It was described by the President of the Law Society, Sternford Moyo, as 'a surprising and blatant disdain for the fundamental principles of natural justice'.lxxxix The MDC said it would proceed with the cases, and entered an urgent plea to the Supreme Court to have SI 318/2000 declared unconstitutional. The State entered an appearance to defend the President's action and the statutory instrument. At the end of December the State requested a month's delay in the start of the first hearings, to enable it to bring in South African counsel. They were delayed, but only to 19 January 2001. Notes lxxix All foreign observers were prohibited (Financial Gazette 14.12.00). Sunday Mail 26.11.00; Daily News 27.11.00; Herald 28.11.00. lxxxi Zimbabwe Independent 15.12.00. lxxxii Financial Gazette 31.8.00. lxxxiii Parliamentary Debates 27,7:451. lxxxiv Muckraker, Zimbabwe Independent 11.8.00. lxxxv Parliamentary Debates 27,23:2336. lxxxvi Daily News 16.10.00; Parliamentary Debates 27,31:3088. lxxxvii SI 318/2000. lxxxviii Zimbabwe Independent 15.12.00; Daily News 15.12.00. lxxxix Daily News 12.12.00. lxxx 35