Case Law[2024] ZAGPJHC 844South Africa
Ridgeback Engineering Supplies (Pty) Ltd v Expert Machining and Engineering (Pty) Ltd (A2023/035929) [2024] ZAGPJHC 844 (30 August 2024)
Headnotes
by his company Zalovect to Nicole. Nicole became the sole shareholder of the applicant in February 2022. On 18 February 2022, Venter resigned as director of the applicant. [10] On or about 2 February 2022 Bruyns resigned as director of the respondent. The applicant alleges that since the resignation of Bruyns, no payments were forthcoming from the respondent in respect of goods supplied, the insurance on the CNC Machine, and gas bottle rental. The last invoice sent to the respondent in respect of goods delivered was dated 10 February 2022. The last payment received from the respondent was in December 2021.
Judgment
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## Ridgeback Engineering Supplies (Pty) Ltd v Expert Machining and Engineering (Pty) Ltd (A2023/035929) [2024] ZAGPJHC 844 (30 August 2024)
Ridgeback Engineering Supplies (Pty) Ltd v Expert Machining and Engineering (Pty) Ltd (A2023/035929) [2024] ZAGPJHC 844 (30 August 2024)
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sino date 30 August 2024
IN
THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
GAUTENG
DIVISION, JOHANNESBURG
Case
NO:
A2023-035929
1.
REPORTABLE:
YES
/ NO
2.
OF INTEREST TO OTHER JUDGES:
YES
/ NO
3.
REVISED: YES /
NO
30
August 2024
In the matter between:
RIDGEBACK
ENGINEERING SUPPLIES (PTY) LTD
(Registration Number:
2006/026297/07)
Applicant
and
EXPERT
MACHINING AND ENGINEERING (PTY) LTD
(Registration
Number: 2018/258747/07)
Respondent
JUDGMENT
WINDELL, J
Introduction
[1]
This is an opposed application for the final,
alternatively provisional winding up of the respondent, Expert
Machining and Engineering
(Pty) Ltd. It is not disputed that the
applicant, Ridgeback Engineering Supplies (Pty) Ltd, is a creditor of
the respondent. The
debt arose from goods sold and delivered to the
respondent in terms of an oral and /or tacit agreement that was
concluded between
the applicant and the respondent (“the oral
agreement”) during 2017, as well as other subsequent agreements
that were
entered into between the parties.
[2]
The
applicant bases its application on section 344(f) read with section
345(1)(a)(i) of the Old Companies Act (the Act),
[1]
in that the respondent is unable to pay a debt owed to the applicant
despite statutory demand made to the respondent. In the further
and/or alternative, the applicant seeks a winding up order in terms
of section 344(h) of the Act, alleging that it would be just
and
equitable to wind up the respondent due to the respondent’s
inability to pay the debt due and the misconduct and mismanagement
occurring during the respondent’s daily operations.
[3]
The respondent opposes the application on
three grounds. One, section 345(1)(a)(i) is not applicable as the
letter that was sent
to the respondent’s attorneys is not a
demand as contemplated in section 345. Two, the debt is not
outstanding due to the
respondent’s inability to pay the
outstanding amount, but rather because it refuses to do so, as there
is a dispute regarding
the terms of the oral agreement. The winding
up application is thus not the appropriate machinery to enforce the
claim that is
disputed on reasonable and bona fide grounds. Three,
the
respondent denies that it is just and equitable for the
respondent to be wound up and be placed under the curatorship of an
appointed
liquidator as it is able to pay its debts and there is no
mismanagement of the respondent.
Factual
background
[4]
Nicole Bruyns (Nicole) and Gillian Turnbull
(Turnbull), Nicole's mother, established the respondent as a Close
Corporation, Ridgeback
Machine Suppliers CC, in May 2007. The
respondent was created for the import and distribution of machine
tool accessories and the
supply of precision engineering solutions.
In 2018 the respondent was converted into a company.
[5]
During 2017, Nicole met Ronald Venter
(Venter).
Venter stated that he possessed
the necessary experience and knowledge in managing companies in the
same industry and would be able
to assist in the growth of the
respondent. This encounter led to the division of the respondent into
retail (the applicant) and
manufacturing (the respondent). Venter and
Anthony Bruyns (Nicole’s husband) were appointed as directors
of the respondent
on 11 September 2018 and 29 June 2018 respectively.
Nicole and Turnbull remained as directors of the applicant.
[6]
As such, the applicant became a sister company of
the respondent. Given the natural progression from separating the
respondent into
two separate companies, no written agreement was
entered into between the respondent and the applicant. Between 2017
and February
2022, the two entities operated in terms of the oral
agreement, which was as follows: The respondent would place an order
for the
supply of various goods from the applicant. On acceptance of
the order, the applicant would supply the goods to the respondent and
generate an invoice to the respondent for the goods so supplied.
Receipt of the invoice would be proof of the goods having been
supplied. The respondent would pay the applicant within 60 days of
presentation of the invoice.
[7]
During 2020, Turnbull sold her shares in the applicant to Venter’s
company Zalovect (Pty) Ltd ("Zalovect"),
and Venter was
appointed as a director of the applicant. Venter's new
responsibilities at the applicant included the generation
of new work
for the applicant and the support of the company's management and
operations. Venter appointed a financial assistant
namely Reynard
Combrinck ("Combrinck") who took care of the bookkeeping.
Combrinck had access to all the financial information
of both the
applicant and the respondent, which included the pricing and
invoicing details of the applicant.
[8]
Since the commencement of the business relationship, the applicant
rendered invoices and monthly statements to the respondent,
which
were duly paid. This included payment of insurance premiums for a
Victor V Centre P106 CNC Vertical Machine ("the CNC
machine").
The respondent owned the CNC machine, and the
applicant was responsible for paying the monthly insurance premiums.
The applicant
then invoiced the respondent for reimbursement of these
premiums.
[9]
During the end of 2021, Venter expressed his desire to divest from
the applicant and sell the shares held by his company
Zalovect to
Nicole. Nicole became the sole shareholder of the applicant in
February 2022. On 18 February 2022, Venter resigned
as director of
the applicant.
[10]
On or about 2 February 2022 Bruyns resigned as director of the
respondent. The applicant alleges that since the resignation
of
Bruyns, no payments were forthcoming from the respondent in respect
of goods supplied, the insurance on the CNC Machine, and
gas bottle
rental. The last invoice sent to the respondent in respect of goods
delivered was dated 10 February 2022. The last payment
received from
the respondent was in December 2021.
[11]
On or about 1 September 2022, the applicant’s attorneys,
Gittins Attorneys Incorporated (Gittins), contacted the
respondent’s
attorneys, Philip Venter Attorneys, to resolve the outstanding
amounts owed to the applicant as well as other
issues not related to
this application. On 8 September 2022 Gittins sent a letter to the
respondent’s attorneys informing
them of the discussion’s
contents, The letter included a copy of an updated statement, which
indicated an outstanding balance
of R241 090.72. The sum
consisted of the following: Goods supplied: R212 521.72; 48.2;
insurance on CNC machine: R11 889.96;
petrol bottle rental: R2460.79;
Jasper (shared email hosting): R2194.41; and interest: R9722.97.
[12]
The respondent's attorneys responded to Gittins on 21 September 2022.
He was informed that the respondent was aware of
the possibility that
the applicant may be owed money, but that it disputed the amount that
remains unpaid. Additionally, the correspondence
specified:
“
3.1 Mr Bruyns
(AE Bruyns) was appointed as managing director of RMS
[respondent].
3.2 Part of Mr
Bruyns duties were to ensure that RMS did not overpay for goods to be
received from RES
[applicant].
3.3 The above is
further canvased by the fact that all parties were well aware of a
potential conflict of interest by virtue of
the fact that Mr Bruyns
wife, Nicole Bruyns, was at all relevant times in control of RES.
3.4 It was
therefore agreed between our client and Mr Bruyns that goods would
only be purchased on behalf of RMS, from RES, at no
more than cost
plus 70.0% (ten percent).
3.5 During the
course of the business relationship, however, it became clear that Mr
Bruyns was purchasing goods at a value that
far exceed the
aforementioned agreed amount and;
3.6 accordingly,
a significant amount is due to be paid back to RMS and our office is
currently in the process of taking further
instructions on the
precise amount to be tendered as payment.”
[13]
The applicant denied that an agreement existed between the applicant
and the respondent according to which the applicant
would limit its
profit margins on good sold to the respondent. However, in an effort
to amicably resolve issues between the applicant
and the respondent,
Gittins sent a letter to the respondent’s attorneys requesting
that they provide figures regarding the
alleged pricing of goods. The
respondent’s attorneys responded on 21 October 2022 and
provided a copy of an Excel breakdown.
According to this excel
spreadsheet there was an average mark up of 40,4% and in some cases
200% on goods sold to the respondent.
[14]
The parties engaged in further correspondence. In a letter dated
November 2022 the respondent’s attorneys raised
an issue with
the conduct of Bruyns whilst he was a director of the respondent.
They wrote, “
Apart from the aforesaid, your client’s
conduct
(referring to Bruyns)
further caused severe cashflow
constraints to RMS
(referring to the respondent)
which
necessitated that Mr Venter use his own funding to keep RMS afloat."
On or about 22 November 2022, Gittins sent a subsequent letter in
which he addressed the allegations made by the respondent and
informed the respondent that this liquidation application would be
filed.
The
statutory demand in terms of s 345 (f) of the Act
[15]
The applicant avers that the respondent is unable to pay its debts.
It relies on section 345 (1) in support thereof.
The section provides
as follows:
“
345.
When company deemed unable to pay its debts. –
(1)
a company or body corporate shall be
deemed unable to pay its debts if –
(a)
creditor, by session or otherwise,
to whom the company is indebted in a sum not less than one hundred
rand then due-
(i)
has served on the company, by
leaving the same at its registered office, a demand requiring the
company to pay the sum so due; or
(ii)
…
and the company or
body corporate has for three weeks thereafter neglected to pay the
sum, or to secure or compound for it to the
reasonable satisfaction
of the creditor; or
(b)
…
(c)
it is proved to the satisfaction of
the Court that the company is unable to pay its debts.”
[16]
The applicant relies on the letter that was sent to the respondent’s
attorneys on 8 September 2022. The letter reads as follows:
“
1. The above
refers.
2. The writer spoke
with the recipient hereof last week Thursday; being 1 September 2022.
3. The purpose
of the aforesaid call was to establish whether it would be worthwhile
for us to engage with yourselves in settlement
talks concerning the
disputes that exist by and between our respective clients.
4. In the said
telephone call, we indicated to you that our clients are primarily
concerned with the following:
4.1. receiving a
full payment in respect of the amounts owing by Ridgeback Machine
Supplies (Pty) Ltd to Ridgeback Engineering Supplies
(Pty) Ltd in
terms of its accounts, an updated statement dated 30 September 2022
in respect of which has been attached hereto for
your ease of
reference in this regard; and
4.2. a full
divestment of Anthony Edmond Bruyns from Ridgeback Rentals (Pty) Ltd,
which owns a number of unencumbered assets, save
for one particular
machine which remains financed although it is to be factored in the
intended divestment.
5.
Note that the payment due in terms of the attached is
deemed non-negotiable on our part. Once the value of the said assets
of Ridgeback
Rentals (Pty) Ltd has been established, we can agree
payment terms.
6. Any and all
incidental matters can be agreed to, provided that your client is
amenable to the aforesaid endeavours.
7. When we spoke, we
indicated to you that we will be seeking a winding-up of Ridgeback
Rentals (Pty) Ltd if your client is not
prepared to embark upon the
intended settlement negotiations. The basis of such winding-up will
be premised upon it being just
and equitable under the circumstances.
8.
If we are unable to settle, we will also be seeking
payment in respect of Ridgeback Engineering Supplies (Pty) Ltd
forthwith.
9.
We trust that, with a modicum of understanding, it will
not be necessary for our clients to resort to litigation herein.
10. All that is
stated above is not to be construed as either a novation and/or
waiver of any of our clients' rights; all of which
remain strictly
reserved.
11. Awaiting to
hear back from yourselves. If nothing constructive is received back
from yourselves by the end of next week, we
hold instructions to
proceed as aforesaid.”
[17]
The respondent submits that the letter is not a
demand as contemplated in section 345(1)(a)(i) as the demand was not
served on the
respondent’s registered address; does not state
the sum so due; and accordingly, the respondent was not afforded the
3 weeks’
notice period from date of service of the demand.
As a result, t
he applicant failed to comply with
the provisions contained in section 345(1)(a)(i) of the Act for
purposes of this application
and the respondent cannot be deemed to
be insolvent in terms of section 345(1) of the Act.
[18]
In
Phase
Electric Co (Pty) Ltd
v
Zinman’s
Electrical Sales (Pty) Ltd,
[2]
the provisions of section 112(a) of the Companies Act
46 of 1926 were examined. A letter of demand had been
received
by the company but was not delivered at its registered address.
Another letter was sent by registered post to the correct
registered
address but was returned by the post office. Coetzee, J held as
follows:
“
The
way in which this section is framed is significant.
Only
if the prerequisites enumerated in a conditional clause exist does
the court have the power to order a winding-up of the company
on this
ground. Hence each of the conditions contained in this subsection
must be strictly satisfied a priori. ‘Service’
on
the company of a demand is required and the method of its service is
exclusively described as ‘by leaving the same at
its registered
office’.
[3]
. . . However, the deeming provision is phrased in such a
way that until it is shown that service in this specified manner
has
taken place, it does not operate at all.”
[19]
In
BP
& JP Investments (Pty) Ltd
v
Hardroad
(Pty) Ltd,
[4]
it was held that the respondent must have been served with the demand
by leaving it at its registered office in order to rely on
section
345 (1)(a)(i). The full court in the appeal upheld the decision of
the court
a
quo
but
left open the question as to whether or not substantial compliance
with the provisions of s 345(1)(
a
)
would suffice.
[5]
[20]
In
Nathaniel
& Efthymakis Properties v Hartbeestspruit Landgoed CC,
[6]
the court found that substantial compliance with section 69(1)(a) of
the Close Corporation Act 69 of 1984 which is the corollary
of
section 345 of the Act, would suffice, as long as the close
corporation had in fact received the demand. It held that
to
hold otherwise “would elevate form above substance”.
[21]
P.
Delport in
Henochsberg
on the
Companies Act 71 of 2008
,
[7]
maintains that:
“
the
question is not whether a demand is ineffective if it is not
delivered to the company’s registered office, but that the
intention of the Legislature is that, provided that it is shown that
the relevant demand was delivered to its registered office,
a company
will be deemed to be unable to pay its debts as contemplated by
s 345(1)(a)(i)
without proof that the company has actually
received such demand. On this basis a demand not left at the
registered office is not
a demand for the purposes of
s 345(1)(a)
even if the company in fact received it; conversely, a demand left at
the registered office is a demand for such purposes even
if it does
not in fact come to the attention of the company (see Wolhuter
Steel (Welkom) (Pty) Ltd v Jatu Construction
(Pty)
Ltd 1983 (3) SA 815 (O) at 824, referred to
with approval in Body Corporate of Fish Eagle v Group
Twelve Investments (Pty) Ltd 2003 (5) SA 414 (W)
at 418B–C).
[22]
I
am in agreement with the view expressed in
Henochsberg
and
Phase
supra
.
In order to capitalise on the presumption provisions in
s 345(1)(a)(i)
, an applicant must at the least comply with the
requirements stated by the legislature therein. I
n
BP
& JM Investments (Pty) Ltd v Hardroad (Pty) Ltd
,
[8]
Margo J, also approved of the dictum in
Phase
and held that, “
where
an applicant seeks to rely on the inability of a company to pay its
debts by showing that a demand was received by the company,
and the
company failed to respond to that demand within a reasonable
time, then, prima facie, the case could be
brought
under the provisions of para (c) of
s 345(1).
”
[23]
I am satisfied that the letter send to the
respondent does not comply with the requirements of section
345(1)(a)(i) of the Act.
Just
and equitable
[24]
The remaining ground for the winding-up of the
respondent which the applicant relies on, is that of just and
equitable in terms
of section 344(h) of the Act.
It relies on
the following grounds:
(i)
there appears to be a serious misconduct
and/or mismanagement of the respondent;
(ii)
the applicant is being prejudiced by the
conduct of the respondent or the management of the respondent;
(iii)
the respondent is unable to pay its debts,
as and when they fall due; and,
(iv)
the respondent has admitted to serious cash
flow constraints and has to be funded by Venter in his personal
capacity.
[25]
The applicant argues that the respondent, particularly Venter, is now
making a disingenuous claim that the applicant
has been overcharging
them, which is not true. The respondent attempts to rely on the Excel
spreadsheet, but upon careful examination,
it is inaccurate and does
not support the respondent’s claim. It is argued that the
respondent is using this issue as a tactic
to compensate for its
inability to pay its debts when they become due. This is further
evidence by the respondent’s ongoing
failure to settle the
applicant’s invoices and the fact that the respondent has only
raised this issue after years of compliance
with the agreed terms.
[26] It is
submitted that the respondent is also attempting, through its
communications, to place blame on its former director.
If there is
any negligence on the part of Bruyns, it is the liquidator's
responsibility to investigate. The applicant should not
be prejudiced
by internal disputes within the respondent.
Respondent’s
defence
[26]
The respondent denies that the applicant has been prejudiced because
of serious misconduct in the running of its operations
or gross
mismanagement of its funds. It further denies that the cashflow
issues mentioned in the 2022 letter are persistent and
are the cause
for its refusal to settle the outstanding debt to the applicant. The
respondent confirms that the refusal to settle
the applicant's claim
for outstanding invoices is because of the pending dispute between
the parties that arose in December 2021.
[27]
A
key aspect of the dispute is that Venter was never granted access to
or control over the companies’ banking and overdraft
facilities, despite being duly appointed as a shareholder and
director, and being responsible for the daily administration and
operation of both entities
. The applicant’s alleged
overcharging and overpricing of goods supplied to the respondent, is
a major cause of the remaining
dispute. While the respondent
acknowledges that Venter was aware of the invoices submitted, he
denies any knowledge of the overpricing
or overcharging of the goods.
This issue ultimately led to Venter selling his shares back to Nicole
with regard to the applicant.
[28]
The respondent asserts that it appointed Combrinck as its accountant
in response to suspicious financial transactions
and/or malicious
actions by its director, Bruyns. This appointment led to the
discovery of the applicant's overpricing or overcharging
of products
at Bruyns's spesific request. Bruyns ultimately resigned following
the respondent's thorough investigation.
[29]
The respondent argues that Bruyns was compelled to resign as he was
aware that he breached his fiduciary duties through
his mismanagement
and malicious handling of the respondent's daily operations.
Additionally, he was aware of the unlawful overcharging
or
overpricing of the goods purchased from the applicant. The respondent
had also discovered, through its internal investigation,
that Bruyns
had abandoned the respondent for more than three weeks, without the
knowledge of Venter or any other management representative
and that
he unlawfully withdrew funds from the respondent’s overdraft
facility.
[30]
The respondent also denies that the alleged payments owed to the
applicant resulted from Bruyns' resignation. Bruyns
resigned in
February 2022, and the applicant's most recent payment was made in
December 2021, which coincided with the parties'
dispute.
[31]
The respondent denies that it is unable to pay its
outstanding debt to the applicant. It states that it is managing its
contingent
and prospective liabilities and has raised a dispute with
the applicant regarding the claimed debt, which remains unresolved.
The
respondent asserts that it can meet its day-to-day liabilities in
the ordinary course of business and is not commercially insolvent.
It
further claims to have sufficient liquid assets or readily releasable
assets to meet its obligations as they become due and
to continue its
normal trading operations. The respondent is currently trading and
managing its obligations and will continue to
do so if any
obligations arise during the ordinary course of business.
[32]
The respondent presented its “Supplier statement” and
“Customer statement”, in terms of its financials,
as an
indication of its “buoyancy and ability to trade”. The
Supplier statement reflects the amounts due to be paid
to the
respondent's suppliers, and the Customer statement reflects the total
amount to be received by the respondent from its customers
for goods
sold and delivered. The respondent also attached its customers' list
which indicates its monthly income from its customers.
Conclusion
[33]
The
court’s power to grant a winding-up order is discretionary in
nature., irrespective of the ground upon which the order
is
sought.
[9]
At
the provisional stage the applicant must make out only a
prima
facie
case.
In
Kalil
v Decotex (Pty) Ltd and another
,
[10]
the Appellate Division held as follows:
“
As
it was put in the Wackrill case, supra, (at pp 285 H - 286 A) —
"Ordinarily the consequences of a final winding-up
order are
drastic indeed, and it could not have been intended that proof of all
the allegations necessary for such an order should
be anything less
than that required generally in civil cases, that is proof on a clear
balance of probabilities, with the admission
of viva voce evidence,
where that may be necessary, to resolve material disputes on the
affidavits. That also appears to be the
standard of proof required
for a final sequestration order in terms of
s 12
of the
Insolvency
Act 24 of 1936
, according to which the Court must be "satisfied"
that the petitioning creditor has established the elements of his
case.”
……
Where, on the other
hand, the affidavits in an opposed application for a provisional
order of winding-up do not reveal a balance
of probabilities in
favour of the applicant, then clearly no prima facie case is
established and a provisional order cannot at
that stage be granted.’
[34]
The
position is best summed up in
Henochsberg
:
[11]
“
Where
the application for a provisional winding-up order is unopposed or
where, though it is opposed, no factual disputes are raised
in the
opposing affidavit, the question is whether the applicant has
established a prima facie case for the grant of
such order.
Where the application is opposed and factual disputes are raised, the
question is whether on the evidence contained
in all the affidavits
a prima facie case for the grant of such order has been
established on a balance of probabilities.”
[35]
It
is trite that winding up proceedings are not an appropriate method
for a creditor, such as the applicant, to pursue when the
debt is
genuinely disputed.
[12]
In
Meyer
NO
v Bree
Holdings (Pty) Ltd,
[13]
the
court held that where the
debt
prima facie exists, then the onus is on the respondent to show that
it is bona fide disputed on reasonable grounds.
[14]
Consequently, a
court
should dismiss the application if, based on the evidence in the
affidavits, the respondent proves on a balance of probabilities
that
the dispute is
bona
fide
and
reasonable.
[15]
[36]
The payment of the amounts allegedly owed is based
on various oral agreements between the parties. While the respondent
admits these
agreements, it asserts there is a contractual dispute
between the parties regarding overcharging and overpricing and
contends that
it does not owe the amount claimed.
[37]
The
respondent is not required to present the actual evidence on which it
would rely at trial, whether through affidavit or otherwise.
It is
sufficient for the respondent to genuinely allege facts that, if
proven, would constitute a good defence to the claim brought
against
it.
[16]
[38]
The
SCA Supreme Court of Appeal in
Imobrite
(Pty) Ltd v DTL Boerdery CC
,
[17]
with reference to
Badenhorst
v Northern Construction Enterprises (Pty) Ltd
[18]
(the
Badenhorst Rule
)
held
that:
[19]
[39]
“
It is trite that, by their very nature,
winding-up proceedings are not designed to resolve disputes
pertaining to the existence
or non-existence of a debts. Thus,
winding-up proceedings ought not to be resorted to enforce a debt
that is bona fide (genuinely)
disputed on reasonable grounds. That
approach is part of the broader principle that the court’s
processes should not be abused.
[40]
A winding-up order will not be granted where
the sole or predominant motive or purpose of seeking the winding-up
order is something
other than the bona fide bringing about of the
company’s liquidation. It would also constitute an abuse of
process if there
is an attempt to enforce payment of a debt which is
bona fide disputed, or where the motive is to oppress or defraud the
company
or frustrate its rights.”
[41]
The applicant failed to make out a prima facie
case for the winding up of the respondent. The grounds advanced by
the respondent
in disputing the debt are reasonable and bona fide.
The dispute raised by the respondent cannot be dealt with in motion
proceedings.
It follows that a winding-up application is not the
appropriate machinery for the applicant to use to enforce its claim.
[42]
In any event, I am not convinced that the
applicant has met its burden of proving that the respondent is unable
to pay its debts
or that it would be just and equitable to grant a
winding-up order. The respondent has provided reasons for its
temporary cash
flow issues and has submitted supporting documents
demonstrating that it is neither factually nor commercially
insolvent. The evidence
shows that the respondent remains capable of
conducting its business and meeting its current expenses as they fall
due to its other
creditors.
[43]
In the result the following order is made:
1. The application
is dismissed with costs.
L WINDELL
JUDGE OF THE HIGH
COURT
GAUTENG LOCAL DIVISION
Delivered: This judgement
was prepared and authored by the Judges whose name are reflected and
is handed down electronically 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 hand-down is deemed to
be 30 August 2024.
APPEARANCES
Counsel
for the applicant:
Advocate
T. Mirtle
Instructed
by:
Gittins
Attorneys
Counsel
for the respondent:
Advocate
C. van Niekerk
Instructed
by:
Mphahkeke
Inc. Attorneys
Date
of hearing:
13
May 2024
Date
of judgment:
30
August 2024
[1]
Act
61 of 1973
[2]
1973 (3) SA 914 (W).
[3]
At 917B–D.
[4]
1977 (3) SA 753 (W).
[5]
BP &
JP Investments (Pty) Ltd
1978 (2) SA 481
(W) at 486–487.
[6]
[1996] 2 ALL SA 317 (T).
[7]
Henochsberg
on the
Companies Act 71 of 2008
. Issue 18. APPI-66.
[8]
1978 (2) SA 481
(W) at 486.
[9]
F&C
Building Construction Co (Pty) Ltd v Macsheil Investments (Pty) Ltd
1959
(30 SA 841
(D) at 844.
[10]
1988
(1) SA 943
at 976D-978F. See also
Paarwater
v South Sahara Investments (Pty) Ltd
[2005]
4 All SA 185
(SCA) at para 3.
[11]
Henochsberg with reference to inter alia
Kalil
v Decotex Pty Ltd supra.
Issue 19. Vol 2. APPI-93..
[12]
Absa
Bank Ltd v Erf 1252 Marine Drive (Pty) Ltd (23255/2010)
[2012]
ZAWCHC 43
(15 May 2012).
[13]
1972 (3) SA 353
T.
[14]
See
also Kalil supra at 980.
[15]
Henochsberg
Issue 19. APPI -94
[16]
Hulse-Reutter
and Another v HEG Consulting Enterprises Pty Ltd (Lane and Fey NNO
Intervening)
1998
2 SA 208
(C) at p 219 F-220C. See also
Dineam
Trade (Pty) Ltd v Sumali Investments; Commonwealth Shippers Ltd v
Mayladn Properties (Pty) Ltd (United Dress Fabrics (Pty)
and Another
Intervening
1978
(1) SA 70
(D) at 72D-E.
[17]
Imobrite
(Pty) Ltd v DTL Boerdery CC
(1007/2020
[2022] ZASCA 67
(13 May 2022)
[18]
1956
(2) SA 346 (T).
[19]
Supra
at
para 14 and 15.
See
also
Collett
v Priest
1931 AD 290
at 299.
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