Case Law[2023] ZAGPPHC 575South Africa
Nedbank Limited v Mphambela and Another (1267/2020) [2023] ZAGPPHC 575 (19 July 2023)
High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Pretoria)
19 July 2023
Headnotes
judgment same is opposed.
Judgment
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# South Africa: North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria
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## Nedbank Limited v Mphambela and Another (1267/2020) [2023] ZAGPPHC 575 (19 July 2023)
Nedbank Limited v Mphambela and Another (1267/2020) [2023] ZAGPPHC 575 (19 July 2023)
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sino date 19 July 2023
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Policy
IN
THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
(GAUTENG
DIVISION, PRETORIA)
Case
No.
1267/2020
1.
REPORTABLE: NO
2.
OF INTEREST TO OTHERS JUDGES: NO
3.
REVISED: 18/7/2023
DATE
:
19 July 2023
SIGNATURE
In the
matter between:
NEDBANKLIMITED
(Registration number:
1[…])
Applicant
and
SHEPARD MPHAMBELA
GERTRUDE
SARUCHERA
1st
Respondent
2nd
Respondent
JUDGMENT
YENDE
AJ
Introduction
Both the counsel for the
applicant and respondents have presented good heads of argument in
support of their cases and the court has
borrowed to a larger extent
from both the Applicants’ and the Respondent’s heads of argument
in setting out the court’s analysis
as it will appear later in this
judgment .
Parties
[1]
The
APPLICANT
herein, which was also
the Plaintiff in the main action instituted under the above
case number, is
NEDBANK LIMITED
(registration number: 1[…]),
a duly registered credit provider with registration number: N[…]
1[…], a public company duly registered
and incorporated in
accordance with the Company Laws of the Republic of South Africa ;
and also trading as a deposit taking institution
in terms of the
Banks Act ,94 of 1990 (previously the Deposit Taking Institutions
Act) and having its principle place of business
at Nedbank, 1[...]
R[...] Campus , 1[...] R[...], Sandown, Sandton, Johannesburg
,Gauteng.
[2]
The
FIRST RESPONDENT
herein, which was also
the First Defendant in the main action instituted under the above
case number, is
SHEPARD MPHAMBELA
a major male person and the
SECOND RESPONDENT
herein, which was also the Second Defendant
in the main action instituted under the above case number, is
GERTRUDE SARACHERA
a major female person and with address
[…
.], W[…], EXTENTION 2[…] ROODEPOORT.
Nature
of the proceedings
[3]
Before court is an opposed application for condonation of late
filing of an application for summary judgment same is opposed.
[4]
The Applicant seeks relief in terms of two claims
against the respondents: -
[5]
Claim 1 arose from a (first) home loan
agreement concluded between the applicant and the respondents,
being
married to each other in community of property, on
21 June 2010.
[6]
The respondents’ indebtedness in terms of the first home loan
agreement was secured by registration of a mortgage bond
(under
mortgage bond
B[…]
) over certain immovable property with
property description:
[ERF….]W[…]
EXTENSION 1[…] TOWNSHIP; REGISTRATION DIVISION I.Q, PROVINCE OF
GAUTENG MEASURING: 271 (TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-ONE)
SQUARE METRES
;
Held
by Deed of Transfer number
T[…]
, subject to the conditions
contained therein and especially to the reservation of rights to
minerals (hereinafter referred to as
“the first immovable
property”).
[7]
Claim 2 arose from a (second) home loan agreement
concluded between the applicant and the respondents on
20 June
2016
.
[8]
The respondents’ indebtedness in terms of the
second home loan agreement was secured by registration of a
mortgage
bond (under mortgage bond
B[…]
) over certain immovable
property with property description:
[
ERF…]
W[…] PARK EXTENSION 2[…] TOWNSHIP; REGISTRATION DIVISION I.Q,
PROVINCE OF GAUTENG MEASURING: 991 (NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY-ONE)
SQUARE METRES
;
Held
by Deed of Transfer number
T[…]
(hereinafter referred to as
“the second immovable property”).
Applicant’s
submissions
[9]
Counsel for the applicant contends that the
respondents breached the terms of the first and second home
loan
agreements, in that the respondents failed to make payment, timeously
and in full, of the monthly instalments due in terms of
the
respective agreements. Consequently, the applicant instituted
enforcement steps by the dispatch of a notice as contemplated in
terms of
Section 129
of the
National Credit Act, 34 of 2005
(hereinafter “the NCA”). The said notice was served personally on
the First Respondent on
3 December 2019. (see caselines paginated
page(s) 0000-2-4 ).
[10]
Subsequently, the applicant instituted action under the
above case number. Initially, no defence was entered and
therefore an
application for judgment by default was instituted. The application
for default judgment was set-down for the 29 January
2021.
Subsequently the respondents served and filed a notice of intention
to defend ,resulting in the application for judgment by
default being
removed from the roll by notice.(see caselines paginated page ZG1).
Despite the notice of removal, judgment by default
was (incorrectly)
granted.(see caselines paginated page ZH1-ZH4).
[11]
Summary judgment application was enrolled on opposed roll on the 10
October 2022, the matter was removed from the roll
to allow the
opportunity for the rescission of the (incorrectly) granted default
judgment order. The applicant then launched an unopposed
application
for rescission of the default judgment order same was enrolled and
heard on the 20 March 2023 culminated in a rescission
order being
granted. In response to the filing of the plea, the present summary
judgment application was instituted
. (see caselines paginated
page(s) 0000-2-5)
.
[12]
Inlight of the chronology mentioned
supra
the current
application for summary judgment was launched outside the
15-day
time period. The applicant is seeking condonation for the belated
filing of the summary judgment application
. (see caselines
paginated page(s) 0000-2-5).
Condonation
Application
[13]
This application is instituted to request condonation for the
belated launching of an application for summary judgment,
in light of
the fact that the said application was delivered subsequent to the
lapse of the 15 (fifteen) day period as contemplated
in terms of Rule
32 of the Uniforms Rules of Court.
[13]
The applicant avers that the reason for the delay in launching same,
was as a result of the reasons herein under mentioned
seriatim
that;
[14]
“
The litigation in this matter has been lengthy and ongoing in
that having instituted legal action as far back as January 2020, the
applicant previously stayed the litigious process in an attempt to
assist the respondents to catch-up with the arrears and to be
up to
date with their respective mortgage loans repayments. The respondents
defaulted with their obligations in terms of the respective
mortgage
loan agreements in that they failed to make payment of the respective
monthly instalments due fully and punctually in terms
thereof.
[15]
Consequently, the applicant commenced enforcement steps. There
been no response in terms of a pre-enforcement notices
as
contemplated in terms of
Section 129
of the
National Credit Act, 34
of 2005
, the applicant instituted the action under the above case
number during January 2020. In response to the action a notice of
intention
to defend was filed on behalf of the respondents (the
Defendants in the main action) and a plea was served on the 25
November 2021.
(see caselines paginated page(s) 002-7 to
002-9).
[16]
The lapse of time between the institution of the action and the
filling of the plea was borne from the fact that the representatives
of the respondents requested the litigation process to be stayed, to
allow the respondents an opportunity to sell one of the two
encumbered properties. Despite various instances where it was
indicated that a sale may be imminent, the respondents failed to
effect
payment of the purchase price to the applicant, as a result
the litigation process was proceeded with.
[17]
In reaction to the filling of the plea, and specifically in light
thereof the plea did not disclose a bona fide defence, the applicant
instructed its legal representatives to institute a summary judgment.
The instructions to this effect was conveyed to counsel on
1 December
2021. Counsel provided the legal representatives of the applicant
with the draft documents on 6 December 2021 and the
documents were
conveyed to the applicant on 8 December 2021
. (see
caselines paginated page(s) 002-7 to 002-9).
[18]
There was some information which had to be supplemented in the
affidavit, specifically information pertaining to the valuation and
the outstanding balance due on the account. The outstanding
information was requested to be obtained when the draft affidavit was
sent through to the applicant on 8 December 2021. Some of the
outstanding information could however only be obtained by 21 December
2021. The remainder of the information was obtained only during the
beginning of January 2022
. (see caselines paginated page(s)
002-9).
This delay in obtaining this important information
resulted in the summary judgment being launched 14 (fourteen) court
days after
the lapse of the 15 day required time period in terms of
the Uniform Rules of the Court”.
[19]
The applicant submitted that the respondents will not be prejudiced
by the belated delivery of the summary judgment. That the
applicant
has a prospect of success in the summary judgment application in
light of the fact that the respondent’s plea did not
disclose a
bona fide
defence. The applicant further averred that
respondents pleaded that there was a signed offer to purchase (“OTP”)
same is admitted
however no guarantees in terms of the offer to
purchase was presented and the result was that the sale fell through.
[20]
Counsel for the applicant argued that the failure to comply with the
provisions of the Uniform Rules of the Court in respect
of the
institution of the summary judgment application was not due to a
deliberate disregard of the provisions of the Rules on the
part of
the applicant but simply due to unforeseen extraneous circumstances
resulting from the fact that the applicant struggled
to timeously
obtain all the relevant information required to finalize the
application. It was submitted on behalf of the applicant
that
currently the arrears in respect of
claim 1 amounts to R
570 836.00
and in respect of claim 2 the arrears
amounts
to R1 021 157.00
. This submission was never denied by
the respondent’s counsel. Counsel for the applicant further averred
that both immovable properties
are still registered in the names of
the respondents and that the applicant will continue to suffer
financial prejudice if the sought
relief is not granted and similarly
the respondents are financially prejudiced by the continued
escalation of the arrears in respect
of both the mortgaged
properties.
Respondents’
submissions
[21]
Counsel for the respondents contend that the applicant’s
application for summary judgment does not comply with the
Uniform
Rule 32(2)(a)
which states that the application must be delivered
within 15 days of receiving the Plea
. (see caselines paginated
page(s) 0000-3-2 to 0000-3-3).
[22]
Despite not adhering to such time period, the applicant fails
to adequately detail the 14 days’ delay and furthermore,
why such
delay was unreasonable and ought not to be condoned. Counsel for the
respondent contends further that even with the
additional days
to bring this application, the annexures attached to the application
for summary judgment are still incorrect.
INCORRECT
ANNEXURES
[23]
The Respondent contends that the following annexures comprise some of
the annexures attached to applicant’s affidavit: .(see
caselines
paginated page(s) 0000-3-7 to 0000-3-8).
[1]
“Annexure 2.1 - Certificate of Balance for the Witkoppen Property;
[2]
Annexure 2.2 – Certificate of Balance for the Weltevreden Property;
[3]
Annexure 3.1 - Property assessment of Weltevreden Property;
[4]
Annexure 3.2 – City of Johannesburg account for the Weltevreden
Property; and
[5]
Annexure 3.3 - Windeed report for the Weltevreden Property.
[24]
Counsel for the respondents contend that these are not however
referred in the Affidavit supporting Summary Judgment, which states
as follows:
[1]
Annexure NED2.1 and NED2.2 are meant to be the Certificate of
Balance and payment profile in respect of the Witkoppen Property.
Annexure 2.2 refers to the Weltevreden Property;
[2]
NED3.1 and NED2.2 are then referred to as the
Certificate of Balance and payment profile in respect of the
Weltevreden
Property. Annexure 3.1. is a property assessment of the
Weltevreden Property;
[3]
No payment profiles are attached in respect of either of the
properties, and accordingly the Honourable Court cannot
see
when Defendants made the last payments in respect of the accounts or
what the payment behaviour of Defendants is in respect of
these
accounts; and
[4]
There are Annexures NED2.3 and NED2.4 referred however there are no
such annexures attached (which are meant to show how the Weltevreden
Property loan agreement has been conducted).
[25]
The annexures referred in the affidavit do not correspond with the
annexures attached to the affidavit, and there are certain
annexures
that have not been attached at all. Save for the Certificate of
Balance in respect of the Witkoppen Property, no further
documentation is attached in support of the relief sought against
such property. Notably, as much as applicant refers to the
service being properly effected, Counsel for the respondents contend
that no Returns of Service are attached (in respect of the action
or
the Section 129 notices)”.
[26]
It was the respondents counsel’s contention that the
applicant has not placed before Court a proper case, thus
on that
basis alone, this application should be dismissed with costs.
BONA
FIDE DEFENCE
[27]
Counsel for the respondents contended that apart from the late
delivering of the application, as well as the incorrect annexures,
the application falls short of proving that there is not a
triable issue in casu. respondents raise inter alia the following
as
a defence to the applicant’s claims;
[1]
That the respondents had been involved in extensive discussions
regarding the
respective loan accounts
in
casu
;
[2]
“That respondents have signed an Offer to Purchase (“OTP”) the
immovable property
in respect of Claim
1, of which OTP applicant is well-aware;
[3]
Accordingly, that such transfer of the immoveable
property would enable the entire loan amount (referred in Claim
1) to
become settled and would result in there potentially being a surplus
(which the respondents can then allocate to any amount
that may be
owing on the second loan referred in
casu”
).
(see
caselines paginated page(s) 0000-3-10 to 0000-3-11).
Principles
governing condonation.
[28]
The approach to adopt when deciding an application for
condonation was set out by Boshielo AJ (writing for the majority
refused to condone the delays of 30 court days) (as he then was) in
Grootboom v National Prosecuting Authority and Another
CCT
08/13
[2013] ZACC 37
;
2014 (2) SA 68
(CC);
2014 (1) BCLR 65
(CC);
[2014] 1 BLLR 1
(CC); (2014) 35 ILJ 121 (CC) (21 OCTOBER 2013) at
paragraph 23, where he stated that:
“
It
is now trite that condonation cannot be had for the mere asking. A
party seeking condonation must make out a case entitling it
to the
court’s indulgence. It must show sufficient cause. This requires a
party to give a full explanation for the non-compliance
with the
rules or court’s directions. Of great significance, the explanation
must be reasonable enough to excuse the default.”
[29]
The test for condonation is set out in a separate judgment and in
paragraph (50) in
Grootboom
by Zondo
J (as he then was) when he stated that:
“
In
this Court the test for determining whether condonation should be
granted or refused is the interest of justice. If it is in the
interest of justice that condonation be granted, it will be granted.
If it is not in the interest of justice to do so, it will not
be
granted. The factors that are taken into account in that inquiry
include:
1.
the length of the delay;
2.
the explanation for, or cause
for, the delay;
4.
the prospects of success for the
party seeking condonation;
5.
the importance of the issue (s)
that the matter raises;
6.
the prejudice to the other party
or parties; and
6.
the effect of the delay on the administration of justice.”
At
paragraph (53) he further stated that:-
“
The
main judgment does not take into account that there are at least four
factors which favour granting condonation to the respondents.
These
are:
(a)
the existence of reasonable
prospects of success;
(b)
the importance of the issue
raised by the matter;
(c)
the absence of prejudice to the
applicant; and
(d)
the fact that the periods of
delay (i.e.15 court days in one case and 30 court days in the other)
are not excessive.”
[30]
In principle, the existence of the prospects of success in favour of
the party seeking Condonation is not decisive, it
is an
important factor to be considered in favour of granting condonation.
[31]
Recently the Constitutional Court in
Steenkamp v Edcon limited
[2019] ZACC 17
per Basson AJ in paragraph
[26] said that:
“…
the
principle is firmly established in our law that where time limits are
set, whether statutory or in terms of the rules of court,
a court has
inherent discretion to grant condonation where the interests of
justice demand it and where the reasons for non-compliance
with the
time limits have been explained to the satisfaction of the court”.
The con-court further endorsed with approval the earlier
Judgment in
Grootboom where it held that “[i]t is axiomatic that condoning a
party’s non-compliance with the rules of court or
directions is an
indulgence. The court seized with the matter has discretion whether
to grant condonation
.”
[32]
The Apex-court further stated at paragraph (35) of the Grootboom case
mentioned
supra
that;
“
It
is by now axiomatic that the granting or refusal of condonation is a
matter of judicial discretion. It involves a value judgment
by the
court seized with a matter based on the facts of that particular
case”.
[33]
It is equally apposite to also to mention the caution sounded by the
Constitutional
Court
in Grootboom case when the Apex-Court said the following at paragraph
(32):
“
I
need to remind practitioners and litigants that the rules and court’s
directive(s) serve a necessary purpose. Their primary aim
is to
ensure that the business of our courts is run effectively and
efficiently. Invariably this will lead to the orderly management
of
our court’s rolls, which in turn will bring about the expeditious
disposal of cases in the most cost –effective manner. This
is
particularly important given the ever-increasing costs of litigation,
which if left unchecked will make access to justice too
expensive”.
[34]
Rule 27(3)
of the
Uniform Rules of Superior Courts
stipulates that: “The court may, on good cause shown, condone any
non-compliance with these rules”. The learned author of Superior
Courts practice, provides the following guidelines to the
consideration of an application for condonation:
[35]
Generally, the courts have a discretion, which must be
exercised judicially on a consideration of the facts of each case;
in
essence it is a matter of justiciable fairness to both the applicant
and the respondents. A judicial discretion is not an absolute
or
unqualified discretion but must be exercised in accordance with
recognised principles.
[36]
Among the factors that the court has regard to are the degree of
non-compliance, the explanation of the delay, the prospects
of
success, the importance of the case, the nature of the relief sought,
the other party’s interest in finality (an inordinate
delay induces
a reasonable belief that the order had become unassailable),
prejudice to the other side, the avoidance of unnecessary
delay
in the administration of justice and the degree of negligence of the
persons responsible for the non-compliance
.(see
caselines
paginated page(s) 0000-2-5 to 0000-2-7)
Consideration
of condonation
[37]
The applicant submitted that the belated institution of the
application for summary judgment (which was filed 14 days late) was
not due to a deliberate disregard of the provisions of the Rules on
part of the applicant but simply due to unforeseen extraneous
circumstances.
[38]
Counsel for the applicant averred further that there was some
information which had to be supplemented in the affidavit,
specifically information pertaining to the valuation and the
outstanding balance on the respondent’s account.That information
was
sent to the applicant on the 8 December 2021. Some of the
outstanding information was only obtained by 21 December 2021 and the
remainder
of the information was obtained only during the beginning
of January 2022.
[39]
Once the affidavit supporting the summary judgment was finalized the
summary judgment application could then be instituted and
same was
served 14 court days after the lapse of the required time period. In
my considered view and in light of the
stare dicesis
and
precedence mentioned supra there can be no doubt that 14 (fourteen)
court day delay in filing the applicant’s application
for
summary judgment is not excessive and the court is content with the
reasons advanced by the applicant for the delay in complying
with the
Uniform Rule 32(2)(a).
[40]
Consequently, the applicant’s late filling of its application for
summary judgment is hereby condoned in the interest of justice.
Consideration
of summary judgment application
[41]
Generally, Summary judgment Applications are
sui
generis
in nature .The purpose
thereof is speedy and expedient adjudication of issues and given the
nature of summary judgment it is the court’s
strong held view that
the application for summary judgment must be correct in all material
respect the first time.
At its very basis, summary judgment is
intended to entrench the admirable principle that an applicant’s
claim, based on a certain
cause of action, should not be delayed by
what
is tantamount to an abuse of court
process, namely a recalcitrant respondent, with no
bona fide
defence to the applicant’s action, entering an appearance to defend
that action, merely for dilatory purposes. At the same
time,
summary judgment entitles an applicant to apply to court to have
judgment entered summarily against such a respondent, therefore
putting an end to the matter, thus avoiding the applicant being put
to a protracted and costly trial . Conversely, summary judgment
is
never intended to shut the door upon a face of a respondent who
could, at the
very least, show that he
and/or she has demonstrated a
bona fide
defence, applicable to
the claim. In those instances, a respondent is surely granted
leave to
defend the action and summary
judgment is refused.
[42]
The defendant is required to disclose fully the nature and grounds of
the defence and the material facts relied upon, therefore.
The locus
classicus dicta was laid down that bold, vague, and sketchy defences
should not be countenanced(See Beitenbach v Fiat SA
(Edms) Bpk
1976
(2) SA 226
(T) at 229F-H). In the matter of Joob Joob Investments
(Pty) Ltd v Stocks Mavundla Zek Joint Venture
2009 (5) SA 1
(SCA) at 11G-12D the Supreme Court of Appeal held that “
the
rationale behind summary judgment applications are impeccable. The
procedure is not intended to deprive a defendant with a triable
issue
or a sustainable defence of his/her day in
court. In
considering whether a defendant does indeed have a triable issue or
sustainable defence, the court should first consider
whether there
was a sufficient disclosure by the defendant of the defence sought to
be relied upon. Secondly, it should be considered
whether the defence
so disclosed is bona fide and good in law”.
[43]
In the matter of NPGS Protection and Security Services CC &
another v FirstRand Bank Ltd
2020 (1) SA 494
(SCA). 21 At par
11, the Supreme Court of Appeal held that; “Rule 32(3) of the
uniform rules requires an opposing affidavit to
disclose fully the
nature and grounds of the defence and the material facts relied upon
therefor. To stave off summary judgment,
a defendant cannot content
him or herself with bald denials, for example, that it is not clear
how the amount claimed was made up.
Something more is required. If a
defendant disputes the amount claimed, he or she should say so and
set out a factual basis for such
denial. This could be done by giving
examples of payments made by them which have not been credited to
their account”.
[44]
In
casu
the court had to enthralled with the fact that this is
an opposed application for summary judgment in terms of Rule 32(2)(a)
and
Rule 46(1) and Rule 46A. Application (i.e., monetary relief for
the outstanding indebtedness due on the two mortgage loan agreements,
authorization to execute on the two immovable properties and costs)
by virtue of the fact that the respondents have breached the
terms of
the mortgage loan agreements.
Common
cause facts:
[45]
The applicant and the respondents concluded a first home loan
agreement, indebtedness of which was secured by registration of
a
mortgage bond over the first immovable property as mentioned
supra,
a second home loan agreement was concluded, and the indebtedness
was also secured by registration of a mortgage bond over the second
immovable property.
[46]
The
National Credit Act, 34 of 2005
, is applicable to both the first
and the second home loan agreement. The applicant has complied with
the terms of the first and the
second home loan agreements, there has
been a monotonous breach on the part of both the respondents with the
terms of the first and
second home loan agreements respectively. The
applicant has complied with the requisite pre-enforcement steps as
contemplated in
terms of the NCA. The indebtedness including the
arrears amounts continues to escalate unabated to the financial
detriment of both
the applicant and the respondents. The respondents
failed dismally to demonstrate both their financial ability to
keep-up with
their legal obligation in terms of servicing their
respective home loan agreements.
(see caselines paginated
page(s) 0000-2-9 to 0000—2-11).
Discussion
[47]
In the opposing affidavit including the plea filed by the
respondents it become obvious that the respondents rely on vague
general and uninformative averments, unsupported by facts. Even a
perfunctory reading of the opposing affidavit reveals that: -
[1]
no discernible defence much less a
bona
fide
defence, is and/was raised in
the opposing affidavit including the plea served and filed save the
admission of indebtedness to the
effect that: the parties had been
involved in extensive discussions regarding the respective loan
accounts.
This reference on part of the respondents
thereto that discussion in respect of the rehabilitation of
the relevant accounts were conducted and the possibility that the
first
immovable property may be sold, simply does not provide a
defence to the entitlement on part of the applicant to the relief
sought
herein.
(see caselines paginated page(s) 0000-2-13 ).
[2]
That the respondents have signed an Offer to Purchase (“OTP”) the
immovable property in respect of Claim 1, of which (“OTP’)
the
applicant is and/was well-aware, Such transfer of the immoveable
property would enable the entire loan amount (referred
in Claim 1) to
become settled and would result in there potentially being a surplus
(which the respondents can then allocate to any
amount that may be
owing on the second loan referred
in
casu
).This contention is not a
defence in
casu,
because
since the institution of the legal process in this matter no
guarantees were presented to the applicant and the result being
that
no transfer in respect of (‘Claim 1’) mortgage property was
effected instead the mortgage property being (‘Claim
1’) is still
remains registered in the names of the respondents.
(
see caselines paginated page 0000-2-13 ).
[3]
Not an iota of evidence is placed before the court that the said
Offer to Purchase (“OTP”) was duly signed and the guarantees
presented to the applicant. The respondents provide no factual basis
for their denial of breach of the respective home loan agreements
and
accordingly the denial in this respect is therefore simply bald,
vague, sketchy and bad in law.
[4]
In respect of the denial that the full indebtedness amount is due by
the respondent, the entitlement on the part of the applicant
to claim
the full indebtedness amount arises from the fact that the breach on
the part of the respondents caused the acceleration
clause contained
in the respective home loan agreements to become operative
. (see
caselines paginated page(s) (0000-2-11 to 0000-2-12) par 7.2.1 to
7.3).
[5]
In the matter of F & I Advisors (Edms) Bpk en 'n Ander v Eerste
Nasionale Bank Van Suidelike Afrika Bpk
[1998] ZASCA 65
;
1999 (1) SA 515
(SCA). it was
held by the Supreme Court of Appeal, that “ it is not required from
a Plaintiff to deconstruct the manner in which
a claim amount was
constituted in the pleadings if the claim amount is not placed in
dispute (same also applicable to the relevant
interest rate). Once
the claim amount is sufficiently placed in dispute, only then will it
be required from a Plaintiff to deconstruct
and prove the manner in
which the claim amount has been constituted “.
[6]
The financial positions of the respondents are not known to the
applicant but given the respondent’s default and non-payment
of the
amounts due to the Applicant, it is reasonable to assume that the
respondents are currently experiencing financial difficulties.
The
outstanding debts including the arrear amounts due to the applicant
in respect of the two mortgage loans are substantial and
ever
increasing monthly and, it is improbable that the respondents will
recover sufficient money to settle the outstanding debts
the arrears.
[48]
As mentioned
supra
the respondents have not set out a
bona
fide
defence to the applicants claim and the court finds that
there are no real and factual tenable points in this matter. The
respondents
contend that they have a
bona fide
defence and
have raised triable and tenable issues that entitle them leave to
defend the applicants claims. In law the respondents
will only avoid
the summary judgment should they as mentioned
supra
proffer
and advance factual contentious issues that can be argued in a
subsequent trial. The court has to be satisfied that
the
respondents has a
bona
fide
defence and need not
prove same .
[49]
In the matter of Maharaj v Barclays Bank Ltd
1976 (1) SA 418
(A)
there the Court held that “in determining whether the defendant has
established a
bona fide
defence, the court has to enquire
whether the defendant has with sufficient particularity
disclosed the nature and grounds
of his defence and the material
facts upon which his defence is based. The defendant does not have to
establish his
bona fides,
it is the defence which must be
bona
fide
. All what he has to do is to swear to the defence which is
competent in law in a manner which is not inherently or seriously
unconvincing”.
The same sentiments were echoed in the matter of
Standard Bank South Ltd v Friedman
199 (2) SA 456
(C) at 462 par G.
[50]
The defendant must set out facts which , if proven at a trial will
constitute an answer to the applicant’s claim. Conversely,
it is
expected of the applicant as mentioned
supra
to convince
the court that he has made out a case for summary judgment.
Since
summary judgment is an extraordinary ,stringent at times referred to
as draconian and a speedy or drastic remedy , it
requires
strict compliance with the prerequisites as provided for in
Rule 32
(2) (b) .(see also Gull Steel (Pty) Ltd v Rack Hire BOP (Pty) Ltd
1998 (1) SA (O) at 683 H.
[51]
As mentioned
supra
in this judgment the respondents have not
set out
bona fide
defence to the applicant’s claim and the
court find that the defences raised by the respondents are technical
in nature and fanciful.
There are not real and factually
tenable and / or triable points in this matter.
[52]
In the circumstances, I make the following order:
[53]
Summary judgment is granted against the first and second respondents,
jointly and severally the one paying the other to be absolved
for;
CLAIM
1: HOME LOAN ACCOUNT NUMBER: 8000 9185 49101
[1]
Payment of the amount of
R 1 012 943.39;
[2]
Payment of Interest on the aforesaid amount R1 012 943.93 calculated
at the rate of
10.50%
per annum, compounded monthly in arrear
from the
01st of NOVEMBER 2019
to date of final payment, both
days inclusive (being the base rate of
10.50%
as at 01st of
NOVEMBER 2019 less 0.50%);
[3]
An Order declaring the property known as:
ERF […] WITKOPEN
EXTENSION 129 TOWNSHIP; REGISTRATION DIVISION I.Q., THE PROVINCE OF
GAUTENG MEASURING: 271 (TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-ONE)
SQUARE METRES;
Held by Deed of Transfer number T[…] SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS
THEREIN CONTAINED AND ESPECIALLY TO THE RESERVATION
OF RIGHTS TO
MINERALS
specially
executable for the said sums;
[4]
An order in terms of Rule 46 to authorize the Registrar to issue a
Warrant of Execution against the immovable property to obtain
an
attachment over the property and an ultimate sale in execution;
[5]
That the first immovable property known as
ERF […] WITKOPPEN EXT
129
, be declared specially executable subject to a reserve price
of
R 800 000.00
[6]
Should the Sheriff not receive a bid for any amount as contemplated
in [5] above then and in such an event the sale should be
cancelled,
and the sheriff should file his report in terms of Rule 46 A Section
9(c) provided in the required 5 days from date of
which the sale was
cancelled.
CLAIM
2: HOME LOAN ACCOUNT NUMBER: 8002 9145 43301
[7]
Payment of the amount of
R 2 198 382.61;
[8]
Payment of interest on the aforesaid amount of
R 2 198 382.61
calculated at the rate of
10.00%
per annum, compounded
monthly in arrear from the
01
st
of
NOVEMBER 2019
to date of final payment, both days inclusive
(being the base rate of
10.00% as at 01st of NOVEMBER 2019 less
-0.50%
);
[9]
An Order declaring the property known as:
ERF[…]
WELTEVREDEN PARK EXTENSION 28 TOWNSHIP; REGISTRATION DIVISION I.Q.,
PROVINCE OF GAUTENG MEASURING: 991 (NINE HUNDRED AND
NINETY-ONE)
SQUARE METRES; Held by Deed of Transfer number T[…]
specially
executable for the said sums;
[10]
An order in terms of Rule 46 to authorize the Registrar to issue a
Warrant of Execution against the immovable property to obtain
an
attachment over the property and an ultimate sale in execution;
[11]
That the second immovable property known as
ERF […] WELTEVREDEN
PARK EXT 28 ROODEPOORT
, be declared specially executable subject
to a reserve price of
R 1 593 000.00.
[12]
Should the Sheriff not receive a bid for any amount as contemplated
in [11] above then and in such an event the sale should be
cancelled,
and the sheriff should file his report in terms of Rule 46 A Section
9(c) provided in the required 5 days from date of
which the sale was
cancelled.
[13]
That the Applicant be granted leave to approach this Court on
the same papers, duly supplemented for a variation of the
Reserve
Price, where applicable;
[14]
Attorney and own client costs as provided for in terms of the said
mortgage bond(s);
[15]
The operation of the order in respect of
(‘Claim 2’)
is suspended for a period of
(3)
Three months
from date
of the order pending the sale in respect if Claim 1:
ERF[…]
WITKOPEN EXTENSION 129 TOWNSHIP; REGISTRATION DIVISION I.Q., THE
PROVINCE OF GAUTENG MEASURING: 271 (TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-ONE)
SQUARE METRES; Held by Deed of Transfer number T57994/2010 SUBJECT TO
THE CONDITIONS THEREIN CONTAINED AND ESPECIALLY TO THE RESERVATION
OF
RIGHTS TO MINERALS.
J
YENDE
ACTING
JUDGE OF THE HIGH COURT
GAUTENG
DIVISION, PRETORIA
Delivered:
this judgment was prepared and authored by the judge whose name is
reflected and is handed down electronically and by circulation
to the
parties/their legal representatives by email and by uploading it to
the electronic file of this matter on Caselines. The date
for handing
down is deemed to be 19
July 2023
APPEARANCES:
Advocate
for Applicant
:
C L Markram-Jooste
karlienmarkram@gmail.com
Instructed
by
:
Hack Stupel & Ross Attorneys
012 325 4185
thea3@hsr.co.za
Advocate
for Respondents
:
B
VD MERWE
barend@law.co.za
Instructed
by:
Wright Incorporated
010 822 2157
Dom@Wrightinc.co.za
Dean@Wrightinc.co.za
Date
heard:
29 May 2023
Date
of Judgment:
19 July 2023
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