Case Law[2025] ZAGPPHC 1010South Africa
Road Accident Fund v Jambaya and Another (37048/2020) [2025] ZAGPPHC 1010 (11 September 2025)
High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Pretoria)
11 September 2025
Headnotes
in abeyance;
Judgment
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# South Africa: North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria
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## Road Accident Fund v Jambaya and Another (37048/2020) [2025] ZAGPPHC 1010 (11 September 2025)
Road Accident Fund v Jambaya and Another (37048/2020) [2025] ZAGPPHC 1010 (11 September 2025)
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sino date 11 September 2025
REPUBLIC
OF SOUTH AFRICA
IN
THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
GAUTENG
DIVISION, PRETORIA
CASE NO: 37048 / 2020
1.
REPORTABLE: NO
2.
OF INTEREST TO OTHER JUDGES: NO
3.
REVISED: YES
DATE:
11 September 2025
SIGNATURE
OF JUDGE:
In
the matter between:
THE
ROAD ACCIDENT FUND
Applicant
and
GLADMAN
JAMBAYA
First Respondent
THE
SHERIFF OR HIS DEPUTY
CENTURION
EAST
Second Respondent
JUDGMENT
Woodrow,
AJ:
Introduction
[1]
The
applicant, (the “
RAF
”),
seeks orders in the following terms:
[1]
1.
That pending finalization of the Application for Rescission of the
court
order obtained by the 1
st
Respondent against the
Applicant, the Warrant of Execution issued and/or authorised by the
court in favour of the 1st Respondent
be and are hereby stayed and/or
held in abeyance;
2.
In the alternative to the above that pending finalization of the
Applicant's
Application for Rescission of the court order obtained by
the 1st Respondent, the execution of such judgment and/or Court Order
be and is hereby stayed, held in abeyance and/or or suspended;
3.
That leave be and is hereby granted to the Applicant to issue the
Application
for Rescission of the court Order obtained by the 1
st
Respondent.
4.
That any of the Respondents be and is hereby order to pay the costs
of
this application on an attorney and client scale only in the event
of opposition to the application;
5.
That the Applicant be and is hereby granted any further and/or
alternative
relief that the Honourable Court deems meet.
[2]
The RAF requires no ‘leave’ of the court
to bring a
rescission application. The RAF is at liberty to bring a rescission
application. The relief sought in prayer 3 of the
notice of motion
has no basis or merit. No such order shall be granted.
[3]
Apparent from prayer 1 and 2 of the notice of motion
is that the RAF
purports to seek a stay or suspension of the warrant of execution
issued by the court,
alternatively
of the execution of a court
order, pending the finalisation of a rescission application. To date,
the RAF has brought no rescission
application against any of the
orders granted in this matter.
[4]
The first respondent (“
Mr Jambaya
”) has opposed
the application and filed an answering affidavit. Mr Jambaya was
represented by counsel who filed heads of
argument and appeared at
the hearing of this mater. The RAF has not filed a replying affidavit
or heads of argument, and there
was no appearance for the RAF at the
hearing of the matter.
[5]
Before addressing the merits of the application any further,
I
address the litigation history of the present matter briefly.
Litigation
history
[6]
This brief exposition is derived from what appears from
the CaseLines
record in this matter.
[7]
The accident relevant to this matter occurred on 27 April
2019. Mr
Jambaya instituted action against the RAF for damages suffered as a
result of injuries sustained in the accident.
[8]
On 14 August 2020, summons and particulars of claim were
served on
the RAF. (Summons and particulars of claim,
CaseLines 00-6
;
Return of service,
CaseLines 00-4
) In terms of the action, Mr
Jambaya claimed R3,700,000 comprised of:
a.
“
PAST HOSPITAL, MEDICAL AND TRAVELLING COSTS: R 200 000.00
”;
b.
“
FUTURE HOSPITAL, MEDICAL AND TRAVELLING COSTS: R 500
000.00
”;
c.
“
PAST LOSS OF EARNINGS & FUTURE LOSS OF EARNINGS OR
EARNING CAPACITY R 2 000 000.00
”; and
d.
“
GENERAL DAMAGES: R 1 000 000.00
”.
[9]
The RAF failed to enter an appearance to defend.
[10]
In September 2020, Mr Jambaya brought an application in terms of rule
31(2) (for default judgment) and rule 33(4) (for separation of issues
– separating merits and quantum). Mr Jambaya was granted
an
order (as set out below) for the relief that he claimed. (Application
in terms of rules 31(2) and 33(4),
CaseLines 001-18
)
[11]
On 13 October 2020, Fourie, J granted an order in terms of the
aforesaid
application in the following terms: (Order of 13 October
2020,
CaseLines 074
)
1.
Merits and quantum be separated;
2.
Merits be granted 100% in favour of the Applicant/Plaintiff;
3.
Quantum be postponed sine die;
4.
Costs for this application be costs in the cause.
[12]
On 15 January 2021, the RAF served notice of intention to defend and
appointed the State attorney as attorney of record. (Notice of
intention to defend,
CaseLines 00-19
)
[13]
On 23 February 2021, the RAF filed its plea, including also two
special
pleas. (Plea,
CaseLines 00-22
)
[14]
On 5 September 2022, the parties held a further pre-trial meeting and
signed a pre-trial minute dealing with the issue of
quantum
.
(Pre-trial minute,
CaseLines 0001-17
) The parties minute
records that the issue of merits had been finalised on 13 October
2020. The attorney of the RAF recorded in
the minute that the merits
of the matter had been “…
finalised by way of default
judgement on the 13
th
of October 2020.
”
[15]
On 6 September 2022, Mr Jambaya’s attorney of record uploaded
two
‘quantum bundles’ which contained
inter alia
the order of Fourie, J dated 13 October 2020, Mr Jambaya’s
driving certificate, and various expert reports relevant to the
quantum of the claim. (Quantum bundle one,
CaseLines 005
and
Quantum bundle two,
CaseLines 006
) The bundles had been
prepared and served via email in April 2022 already. (Service e-mail,
CaseLines 007
)
[16]
On 3 March 2023, the attorney for Mr Jambaya served notice of set
down
for trial regarding the issue of the quantum of the claim of Mr
Jambaya. The notice titled “
Notice of Set Down: Quantum
”
stated that the “…
matter has been placed on the roll
for trial on the 31
st
May 2023 at 09h30 …
”.
(Set down dated 3 March 2023,
CaseLines 000-1
) Together
with the notice of set down, a practice note was served dealing with
quantum and indicating
inter alia
that the “…
issue in dispute between the parties is Quantum.
”.
(Practice note dealing with quantum,
CaseLines 000-4
)
[17]
It is unclear precisely what occurred at the 31 May 2023 quantum
trial
date. The record reflects that the plaintiff uploaded a
‘written settlement proposal’ on that date (Settlement
proposal,
CaseLines 010
) and a so-called ‘mortality
affidavit’. (Mortality affidavit,
CaseLines 011
)
[18]
The RAF made a written, without prejudice offer of settlement which
is
dated 13 June 2023 (and received by the attorneys of record of Mr
Jambaya on the 14 June 2023). (Settlement offer,
CaseLines
M001-53
) The settlement offer is titled “
OFFER &
ACCEPTANCE OF SETTLEMENT
” with the words “
Without
Prejudice
” below the title. The following
inter alia
is stated in the settlement offer: “
The RAF hereby offers,
without prejudice or admission of liability, in full and final
settlement of your claim, the amount as set
out hereunder: …
”
The settlement offer was for a total payment of R927,288.35,
comprising R577,288.35 in respect of ‘loss of earnings’
and R350,000.00 in respect of ‘general damages’. The
offer further included an undertaking in terms of section 17(4)(a)
of
the Act. The offer further provided under ‘Section B: Capital’
that: “
Payment for the capital sum of R 927 288.35 will take
place 180 days from the receipt of this form signed by the
Claimant/Representative.
RAF captures all settled claims in 30 days
and payment thereof is effected in 180 days from date of settlement
or court order.
”
[19]
The attorneys of Mr Jambaya formally and in writing accepted the
settlement
offer, (
CaseLines M001-50
) and signed and accepted
the settlement offer on 3 July 2023. (at
CaseLines M001-55
)
The acceptance was e-mailed on 20 July 2023. (E-mail enclosing
acceptance,
CaseLines M001-56
)
[20]
The claim of Mr Jambaya was formally compromised and settled.
[21]
Thereafter, the parties agreed to make the settlement agreement an
order
of court. The agreement of the RAF is recorded in a letter from
the RAF dated 7 September 2023 that reads as follows: (at
CaseLines
M001-61
)
…
I refer to the above
matter and confirm that the matter has become fully settled as below:
Road Accident Fund (RAF)
has tendered the following "Without Prejudice"
·
General damages
: R 350 000.00
·
Future medical expenses
:
Undertaking
·
Loss of earnings
: R 577 288.35
·
Total
: R 927 288.35
(ALL COSTS SUBJECT TO
THE DISCRETION OF THE TAXING MASTER)
I have perused the
proposed Court order and confirm that same may be made an Order of
Court, subject to the pursuant condition(s)
that:
1.
The RAF will effect payment of the capital amount within 180 days of
this court order to the trust account
of the Plaintiff’s
Attorneys.
2.
The RAF will effect payment of the Plaintiff’s taxed or agreed
party-and-party costs on the scale
of the respective or applicable
court's jurisdiction … within 180 days of the service of
the taxed bill on the RAF
or date of the agreed bill.
I confirm that the
Plaintiff may proceed to have the Court order made an Order of Court
in absence of the RAF and wish to place
on record that payment will
only be requested upon receipt of signed and duly stamped Court Order
or Notice of Acceptance.
…
[22]
The matter was duly set down on the ‘settlement roll’ for
hearing on 9 October 2023. (Set down, at
CaseLines 0000-28
) A
notice of set down, a draft order, and practice notes were duly
delivered. (Plaintiff’s settlement bundle, at
CaseLines
0000
)
[23]
As is apparent from the detailed memorandum of settlement prepared by
counsel for Mr Jambaya, the settlement figure accepted on behalf of
Mr Jambaya is considerably less than the amount that he claimed
in
his summons. (Plaintiff’s memorandum of settlement, at
CaseLines 0000-8
)
[24]
On 9 October 2023, Le Grange AJ, granted an order in terms of the
draft
order and settlement between the parties by agreement between
the parties. (Order of court dated 9 October 2023, at
CaseLines
M001-57
) In terms of the order, the amounts were payable within
180 days of date of the order.
[25]
The RAF failed to make payment in terms of the court order.
[26]
On 6 May 2024, the attorneys for Mr Jambaya issued out a warrant of
execution
against the RAF. The warrant purports to have been received
by the RAF on 9 May 2024 and 21 June 2024. (Warrant dated 6 May 2024,
at
CaseLines M001-26
)
[27]
The RAF brought the present application in terms of its notice of
motion
dated 24 June 2024.
The
law applied to the facts
[28]
The RAF failed to file a replying affidavit in these proceedings.
There
was no appearance for the RAF at the hearing, and the legal
representatives of the RAF failed to file heads of argument.
[29]
The founding affidavit of the RAF contains averments that are plainly
incorrect. For example, the deponent states the following: “
The
First Respondent failed to provide proof of entry and exit stamps for
the minor child who was involved in the accident, and
as a result,
the Applicant cannot effect payment on this matter.
”
(Founding affidavit, par 5.5, at
CaseLines M001-9
) There was
no minor child involved in the accident or in the matter.
[30]
Furthermore, many of the further allegations in the founding
affidavit
constitute generalised statements that do not apply to the
present matter. (For example, founding affidavit, par 7.5, at
CaseLines M001-13
)
[31]
The case of the RAF rests not just on a precarious factual
basis but
on practically no factual basis at all.
[32]
No
rescission application has been launched in respect of any of the
orders granted in this matter.
[2]
Nor has the RAF brought any proceedings to set aside the settlement
concluded with Mr Jambaya. Prayers 1 and 2 of the notice of
motion
seek a stay of execution pending the “…
finalization
of the Application for Rescission…
”
(prayer 1) and pending the “…
finalization
of the Applicant’s Application for Rescission…
”
(prayer 2).
[33]
The founding papers make out no case for the relief sought in the
notice
of motion. For this reason alone, the present application
stands to be dismissed.
[34]
However, there are further reasons why the application cannot
succeed.
[35]
The case of the RAF is that on 21 June 2022 it issued a management
directive
with requirements to be complied with for the processing of
payment of claims of foreign nationals. The RAF refers to the
material
part of the directive which reads as follows: (at
CaseLines
M001-24
)
Foreign Claimants
The following applies to
all lodgements received or pre-assessed from the date of this
directive: In instances where the claimant
or injured is a foreigner,
proof of identity must be accompanied by documentary proof that the
claimant was legally in South Africa
at the time of the accident. A
copy of the foreign claimant's passport showing the entry stamp
and/or exit stamp must be submitted.
Where the passport does not have
any stamp, the RAF will not be lodging such a claim. Where the
passport document does not have
an exit stamp, proof that the
claimant is still in the country must be produced. In this instance
the passport copy indicating
approved Visa must be submitted. Copies
of the passport must be certified by SAPS.
[36]
The RAF refers to the “
main application under case number
11795/2022
”, (a reference to the case of
Mudawo and
Others v Minister of Transport and Another
(011795/2022) [2024]
ZAGPPHC 258 (26 March 2024), a full court decision of this division
(the “
Mudawo case
”)) and states that the “…
position of the RAF and the management directive issued by the RAF
in this regard, is the subject of litigation in the Appeal
application
of the main action.
” (At the time of deposing
to the founding affidavit in the present matter, the RAF had brought
an application for leave to
appeal the decision in the Mudawo case.
(Application for leave to appeal, “
FA3
”, at
CaseLines M001-33
) Whilst not dealt with on the papers, it
appears that leave to appeal was refused by the full court (
Road
Accident Fund v Mudawo and Others
(011795/2022) [2024] ZAGPPHC
655 (9 July 2024)), but that leave to appeal was subsequently granted
by the Supreme Court of Appeal
(“
SCA
”), and that
the appeal in this regard is currently pending in the SCA.)
[37]
The order granted in the Mudawo case (excluding the cost order) is as
follows:
1.
The provisions of the substituted RAF1 claim form prescribed by
Government Notice R2235 published
in Government Gazette 46661 dated 4
July 2022 issued by the Minister of Transport (first respondent) in
terms of
section 26
of the
Road Accident Fund Act, 56 of 1996
, is
reviewed and set aside to the extent that both
part 6.1
(substantial
compliance injury claims) and
part 12.1
(substantial compliance death
claims) thereof require that, if a claimant is a foreigner, proof of
identity must be accompanied
by documentary proof that the claimant
was legally in South Africa at the time of the accident.
2.
The provisions of the RAF Management Directive dated 21 June 2022
titled Critical Validations
to Confirm the Identity of South African
Citizens and Claims Lodged by Foreigners, is reviewed and set aside
to the extent that:
2.1
In respect of foreign claimants, it requires that proof of identity
must be accompanied by documentary proof
that the claimant was
legally in South African at the time of the accident;
2.2
In respect of foreign claimants, they are required to provide copies
of their passports with an entry stamp
and where they have left South
Africa, the passport must have an exit stamp and should the foreign
claimant still be in the country,
that proof of an approved visa must
be submitted before the RAF is prepared to register such claimants’
claims;
2.3
It is required that copies of the passports of foreign claimants may
only be certified by the South African
Police Service.
[38]
The RAF proceeds to state as follows dealing with its alleged
prima
facie
right: (Founding affidavit, par 7.31 – 7.32, at
CaseLines M001-20
)
7.31 If the Fund's
stance is upheld in the main application, and the First Respondent is
ultimately shown to have been illegally
in the country, then the Fund
will have grounds to apply for the rescission of the judgment granted
upon the previous settlement.
7.32 Such grounds
will be that the order was made with an error in law as the as the
order was legally objectionable, that
is, it terms were an illegality
alternatively contrary to public policy alternatively inconsistent
with the Constitution.
[39]
In my view, the RAF is incorrect for various reasons. Without being
exhaustive,
these include the following:
a.
The “
judgment granted upon the previous settlement
”
is the order of Le Grange AJ dealing with quantum which had been
settled between the parties. The RAF makes out no case
for the
rescission of that order. But even if the RAF had made out a case for
rescission of that order, the order granted by Fourie
J (on merits)
would be unaffected and would stand. Further, the settlement itself
(which was subsequently made an order of court)
has not been attacked
and would stand.
b.
The RAF appears to assert that if its appeal is upheld by the SCA in
the Mudawo
case, and the provisions of the management directive
remain unaffected by the review application (and subsequent order of
the full
court) in the Mudawo case, that the management directive may
provide the RAF with some or other defence to the claim of Mr Jambaya
and “…
then the Fund will have grounds to apply for
the rescission of the judgment granted upon the previous settlement.
”
However, this assertion is incorrect and loses sight of
inter
alia
:
i.
The manner in which the quantum was settled by the RAF
in this
matter, “
without prejudice or admission of liability
”.
(Settlement offer,
CaseLines M001-53
) In other words, it was
settled without admitting any liability, and whether the RAF had a
defence or not. Accordingly, assuming
that the management
directive did create some defence for the RAF in this matter, this is
irrelevant to the settlement that was
concluded which the RAF
concluded “
without prejudice or admission of liability
”
– a classic example of a compromise.
ii.
The setting aside of the settlement on quantum will have
no bearing
on the court order granted in respect of merits.
iii.
The matter of
Maphosa v Road Accident Fund
(2022-1093) [2024]
ZAGPJHC 263 (7 March 2024) at par [61] – [102] is authority for
the fact that even if the RAF is able
to prove that Mr Jambaya was an
‘illegal foreigner’ this would not constitute a defence
to the claim of Mr Jambaya
under the RAF Act. (see also:
Gomo v
Road Accident Fund
(2022/20083) [2025] ZAGPJHC 539 (3 June 2025))
iv.
The requirements for the setting aside of a consent order
have not
been met.
v.
Rescission of an order of court is not there simply for
the asking.
The RAF has provided no explanation for its delay, has failed to set
out facts in support of a rescission, and has
failed to bring a
rescission application at all.
c.
The RAF makes out no case for the assertion that the order in respect
of quantum
in this matter (or in respect of merits for that matter)
was granted based on an error in law, or that the order granted was
legally
objectionable, an illegality, contrary to public policy, or
inconsistent with the Constitution.
[40]
The RAF makes out no case for the setting aside of the consent order
granted in this matter. On the RAF’s own version in its
founding affidavit: “
On 31 May 2023 the matter was enrolled
for trial and subsequently settled by way of an offer received and
accepted.
” (Founding affidavit, par 5.2, at
CaseLines
M001-9
) In the answering affidavit filed on behalf of Mr Jambaya,
it is pointed out that the settlement in this matter was concluded
post
the so-called “
management directive
” being in
place in 2022, and the RAF placed no conditions on the settlement
which was subsequently made an order of court.
(Answering affidavit,
par 5.3 – 5.4, at
CaseLines M001-47
) The claim against
the RAF had been made and summons instituted years prior to the
directive coming into being.
[41]
In
Mafisa
v Road Accident Fund and Another
[2024]
ZACC 4
, the Constitutional Court said the following in respect of
the principles relating to compromise: (footnotes omitted)
[32]
Before dealing with the issues in this matter, it is necessary to
consider the legal principles
relating to a compromise and set out
the nature and extent of a compromise.
[33]
A compromise is an agreement between the parties to prevent or
terminate a dispute by adjusting
their differences by mutual
consent. It is trite that a compromise gives rise to new
contractual rights and obligations which
exist independently of the
original cause of action. Once a compromise is reached, the
parties are precluded from proceeding
on the original cause of action
(unless, of course, the compromise provides otherwise).
[34]
Inherent in the concept of a compromise is the risk, which is
voluntarily assumed by both parties,
that their bargain may be more
or less advantageous than litigating the original cause of action.
Lawfully struck compromises
find support in our law as they not only
serve the interests of the litigants but may also serve the interests
of the administration
of justice.
[42]
The quantum of the matter was settled by means of a compromise. The
merits
of the matter had been resolved and an order granted by this
court almost five years ago. The RAF had quite clearly accepted the
order in respect of the merits of the matter and proceeded to deal
with and ultimately settle the quantum of the matter. Apart
from the
fact that the RAF has brought no rescission application at all, the
RAF has failed to address any facts in its founding
affidavit and has
failed to make out a case for the rescission of a consent order. (
MEC
for Economic Affairs, Environment & Tourism v Kruisenga
2008
(6) SA 264
(Ck) par [29], [38] – [49].)
[43]
In
Newnet Properties (Pty) Ltd t/a Sunshine Hospital v Road
Accident Fund
(1150/2023)
[2025] ZASCA 19
(14 March 2025), (the
“
Sunshine Hospital case
”) the SCA after dealing
with the importance of the principle of the finality of judgments, an
incident of the rule of law,
(at paragraphs [17] – [24]),
thereafter considered the Rule 45A relief relevant to that matter (at
paragraphs [25] –
[32]), and held as follows
inter alia
:
[28]
The high court found that the RAF succeeded in establishing a prima
facie right as custodian
of public funds which has the statutory
obligation to manage and avoid fruitless, irregular and wasteful
expenditure. This finding
is, however, not borne out by the
established facts. In my view, the RAF has failed to show that the
appellants irregularly obtained
the orders. The fact that the RAF has
no proof that it was furnished with identity numbers for the
implicated claims does not mean
that the court orders sought to be
executed are susceptible to recission. They were granted properly and
are valid until set aside.
Since s 24 is no longer available to the
RAF to contest a claim after judgment, to establish a
prima
facie
case, the RAF ought to demonstrate that it has
prospects of success when impugning the orders in a recission
application.
[29]
In seeking the interim relief pending the institution of rescission
proceedings, the RAF has
not put up any facts to show that the
underlying causa of the judgments is being disputed or that real and
substantial injustice
would follow the refusal of such relief. It
instead relied on anecdotal averments based on unsubstantiated and
generalised examples.
The high-water mark of those averments is that
the required information will assist the RAF in establishing whether
its internal
processes have been complied with. According to the RAF,
it will then be able to decide whether to pay the supplier claims.
While
the RAF is to be commended for re-visiting its internal
processes, it cannot be at the expense of litigants against whom
there
is no evidence of fraud.
…
[32]
Furthermore, the interim relief sought by the RAF was based on vague
references to contemplated
applications for rescission or declaratory
relief without committing to any timeframes. The appellants point to
the fact that almost
17 months after the granting of the high court
order, the RAF has still not applied for rescission, and neither is
there any indication
as to when it intends to file those
applications. I am accordingly of the view that the RAF failed to
establish a prima facie right.
[44]
In casu
, the RAF has failed to establish a
prima facie
right. The underlying
causa
of the orders in this matter
continue to exist, and no recission application has been brought by
the RAF. Further, no facts are
set out by the RAF to impugn either
the settlement reached between the parties or the consent order
granted pursuant thereto. The
RAF makes out no case for the relief
that it seeks. Real and substantial justice does not support the
suspension of the court orders
(
Van Rensburg NO
and Another v Naidoo NO, Naidoo NO v Van Rensburg NO
2011
(4) SA 149
(SCA) par [52]
) but rather the enforcement thereof.
[45]
The pending appeal in the SCA in the Mudawo case does not afford the
RAF a right to stay or interdict the enforcement of a valid court
order. (
cf
.
Road Accident Fund v Sheriff, Cape Town West
and Others
(1065/2023)
[2024] ZAWCHC 429
(18 December 2024) par
[33] – [36]) The RAF may not simply ignore valid orders of
court that have not been impugned in a
court of law. The order
granted by Le Grange AJ (and by Fourie J) in this matter will remain
of full force and effect unless set
aside by a court. (
cf
.
Road Accident Fund v Neethling and Another
(6101/2019)
[2025]
ZAWCHC 242
(5 June 2025) par [5]) The RAF makes out no case for a
stay of execution of such court orders.
[46]
The RAF is not entitled to a stay of execution as of right. It is
seeking
a discretionary indulgence. In
BP
Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd v Mega Burst Oils and Fuels (Pty) Ltd and
Another and a Similar Matter
2022 (1)
SA 162
(GJ) at
par [21], the court held as follows:
[21]
In
Road
Accident Fund v Strydom
2001
(1) SA 292
(C)
Immerman AJ at 304E questioned if the analogy of interim interdict in
considering Rule 45A is entirely appropriate in the circumstances
of
that matter: “
For
one thing the applicant is not asserting a right in the strict sense
but a discretionary indulgence based on the apprehension
of
injustice
.”
I agree.
[47]
The RAF has made out no case for the exercise of such discretion.
[48]
For the further reasons, as held in the matter of
Road Accident
Fund v Mahmoud and Another
(2018-28163) [2024] ZAGPJHC 243 (3
March 2024) (read together with
Road Accident Fund v Sheriff Of
The High Court, Pretoria and Another
(0114226/2023) [2023]
ZAGPJHC 1336 (20 November 2023 – the
Macamo
decision),
the present application must fail: (footnotes omitted)
25. The directive
in its terms applies to ‘
all lodgements received or
pre-assessed from the date of the directive’.
Twala J
accordingly found in paragraph 20 of
Macamo
that the
directive is directed at dealing with new claims that were lodged
with the Fund and which were still to be processed from
the date of
the management directive. The directive was no assistance in relation
to an action that had already been instituted
in 2019.
26. The same
situation arises in the present instance. The action in the present
instance was instituted in 2018 and so, as
found in
Macamo
,
the directive cannot apply. Unless I find that
Macamo
is
clearly wrong, I am bound to follow the judgment. I am not persuaded
that
Macamo
is wrong; to the contrary, the judgment
is persuasive. On this basis, the present application cannot succeed.
and
30. The Fund was
clearly aware of its own directive, which had existed since June
2022, when it agreed to the settlement in
April 2023. The Fund cannot
now seek to raise an issue that it should have been raised before it
settled, and the subsequent consent
order.
31. There is no
disclosure by the Fund in the present matter when it first became
alive to potentially relying upon the directive
as a basis to resist
the first respondent’s claim. …
32. Should this
awareness have arisen
before
the settlement was
reached in April 2023 and subsequently resulted in the consent order
in October 2023, the Fund cannot now
rely upon the directive as a
basis to avoid the judgment debt. And in any event the Fund must be
assumed to have been alive at
that time to its own management
directive of June 2022.
33. On the
other hand, should the Fund’s realisation that the directive
may come into play only have arisen
after
the order
was granted, it would still not avail the Fund. A judgment to
which a plaintiff is procedurally entitled taken
in the absence of a
defendant cannot be erroneously granted in light of a subsequently
disclosed defence: ‘The existence
or non-existence of a defence
on the merits is an irrelevant consideration and, if subsequently
disclosed, cannot transform a validly
obtained judgment into an
erroneous judgment.’ More so where the order was
consented to pursuant to a settlement.
[49]
It is a
trite but important principle that a court order is valid until set
aside and must be complied with. (
Municipal
Manager OR Tambo District Municipality and Another v Ndabeni
2023 (4) SA 421
(CC) par [23] – [26])
The
entitlement of a litigant to enforce a judgment or order granted in
his or her favour by a court of law is an incident of the
judicial
process, access to which is guaranteed by s34 of the Constitution.
(
Road
Accident Fund v Mabela and Another
(63050/2017) [2025] ZAGPPHC 383 (23 April 2025)
par
[18] citing the Constitutional Court judgment in
Chief
Lesapo v North West Agricultural Bank and Another
[1999]
ZACC 16
;
2000
(1) SA 409
(CC) par [13]
)
The RAF has delayed and frustrated the enforcement of their own
agreement and the orders of this court. Mr Jambaya has been seriously
prejudiced by the conduct of the RAF.
[50]
No case for the relief sought in the notice of motion has been made
out.
The application stands to be dismissed.
[51]
A consideration of the totality of the facts in this matter warrant a
punitive cost order against the RAF. Such facts include the RAF’s
conduct in failing to adhere to its own agreement, its
clear attempts
at delaying justice – serving the present hopeless application
but thereafter taking no steps at all, and
in effect abusing the
process of this court. The conduct of the RAF is vexatious. The RAF
has put Mr Jambaya to unnecessary trouble
and expense which the he
ought not to bear. A cost order on an attorney and client scale is
warranted. (
In re: Alluvial Creek Ltd
1929
CPD 532
at 535
)
ORDER
[52]
Accordingly, I make the following order:
1.
The application is dismissed.
2.
The applicant is directed to pay the costs
of the first respondent on an attorney and client scale.
WOODROW
AJ
ACTING
JUDGE OF THE HIGH COURT
This
Judgment was handed down electronically by circulation to the parties
and or parties’ representatives by e-mail and by
being uploaded
to CaseLines. The date and time for the hand down is deemed to be
10h00 on the 11
TH
of September 2025.
Appearances
Counsel
for the Applicant: No appearance
Attorney
for the Applicant: State Attorney
Counsel
for the First Respondent: T Malange
Attorney
for the First Respondent: Marlin Marimuthu Attorneys Inc
Date of Hearing: 12 June
2025
Date of Judgment: 11
September 2025
[1]
Quoted directly from the notice of motion. The notice of motion is
dated 24 June 2024.
[2]
The notice of motion refers to a stay of execution pending the
rescission of “…
the
court order obtained by [Mr Jambaya] …
”.
However, as is apparent from the section of this judgment dealing
with the litigation history of the matter, there are
two orders /
judgments that were obtained by Mr Jambaya, the order of Fourie, J
dated 13 October 2020 (merits), and the order
of Le Grange AJ dated
9 October 2023 (quantum). The notice of motion does not specify
which order / judgment the RAF will seek
to rescind.
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