Case Law[2023] ZAGPJHC 294South Africa
NJB Investco Proprietary Limited v Global Capital Investment Holdings Proprietary Limited and Others (33931/2021) [2023] ZAGPJHC 294 (3 April 2023)
Headnotes
by the Trust in the first respondent be transferred into the name of the applicant;
Judgment
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# South Africa: South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg
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## NJB Investco Proprietary Limited v Global Capital Investment Holdings Proprietary Limited and Others (33931/2021) [2023] ZAGPJHC 294 (3 April 2023)
NJB Investco Proprietary Limited v Global Capital Investment Holdings Proprietary Limited and Others (33931/2021) [2023] ZAGPJHC 294 (3 April 2023)
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sino date 3 April 2023
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH
AFRICA
IN THE HIGH COURT OF
SOUTH AFRICA,
GAUTENG DIVISION,
JOHANNESBURG
CASE
NUMBER:
33931/2021
1.
REPORTABLE: NO
2.
OF INTEREST TO OTHER JUDGES: NO
3.
REVISED: NO
In the matter between:
NJB
INVESTCO PROPRIETARY LIMITED
Applicant
and
GLOBAL CAPITAL
INVESTMENT HOLDINGS
PROPRIETARY
LIMITED
First Respondent
BARNARD
N.O., ANNEKE
Second Respondent
MACLAGH
N.O., ZANELLA LUISA
Third
Respondent
COTTERELL
N.O., EDWARD VINCENT
Fourth
Respondent
COTTERELL
N.O, HEATHER BELINDA KIM
Fifth
Respondent
GOLDBERG
N.O. DAVID SAMUEL
Sixth Respondent
THE
MASTER OF THE HIGH COURT
Seventh Respondent
THE COMMISSIONER OF
THE COMPANIES
AND
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES COMMISSION
Eighth
Respondent
LEVY
N.O., DEAN
Ninth
Respondent
JUDGMENT
Delivery:
This judgment was handed down electronically by circulation to the
parties’
legal representatives by email and by
upload
onto CaseLines. The date and time for hand-down is deemed to be 11h00
on
3 April 2023.
OLIVIER, AJ:
Introduction
[1]
The
applicant, NJB INVESTCO (PTY) LIMITED, is a private company with
limited liability, duly incorporated in terms of the company
laws of
the Republic of South Africa.
[2]
The
first respondent, GLOBAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT HOLDINGS (PTY) LIMITED
(‘Global’) is a private company with limited
liability,
duly incorporated in terms of the company laws of the Republic of
South Africa. It was placed under voluntary winding-up
by special
resolution on 22 January 2021, which was registered on 26 January
2021.
[3]
The
second and third respondents are both insolvency
practitioners. They are cited in their capacities as the provisional
liquidators
of the first respondent.
[4] The
fourth to sixth respondents are cited in their capacities as trustees
for the time being of the Cotterell
Family Trust (‘the Trust’),
which is the sole shareholder in Global.
[5] The
seventh respondent is the Master of the High Court. The eighth
respondent is the Commissioner of the Companies
and Intellectual
Properties Commission (CIPC). No specific relief is sought against
them.
[6] The
ninth respondent is Dean Levy, who the Trust contends is a trustee,
and who was joined by separate application
out of an abundance of
caution by the applicant.
[7] Mr
Costa represented the applicant. The Trust was represented by Mr Van
Tonder.
Relief
[8]
The notice of motion reads as follows:
In respect of
CLAIM A
:
1.
The first respondent’s creditors’
voluntary winding-up be substituted with a compulsory winding-up in
terms of section
346(1)(e) of the Companies Act 61 of 1973;
2.
All proceedings in relation to the
creditors’ voluntary winding-up as well as the second and third
respondent’s appointments
as provisional liquidators be set
aside;
3. The costs of claim A
of the application be costs in the winding-up.
In respect of
CLAIM B
:
3. (sic) The fourth,
fifth, and sixth respondents in their capacities as trustees of the
Cotterell Family Trust (“the Trust”)
be ordered to pay to
the applicant:
3.1. R5 500 000.00; and
3.2. R429 778.72.
4. The fourth, fifth, and
sixth respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Trust be
ordered to pay interest on the amounts
referred to in paragraph 3
above at the rate of 7% per annum a tempore morae to date of final
payment, both dates inclusive;
5. Declaring that the
fourth, fifth and sixth respondents in their capacities as trustees
of the Trust are liable to pay the applicant
30% of the profits after
tax of the first respondent from 18 October 2017 to date of the
order, together with interest thereon
at the rate of 7% per annum a
tempore morae to date of final payment, both dates inclusive;
6. The 1000 ordinary no
par value shares held by the Trust in the first respondent be
transferred into the name of the applicant;
7. The fourth, fifth, and
sixth respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Trust be and
are hereby ordered within 7 days
of the date of the order to take all
steps necessary, including signature of all documents that may be
required, in order to effect
transfer of the 1000 ordinary no par
value shares held by the Trust in the first respondent into the name
of the applicant;
8. That failing
compliance by the fourth, fifth, and sixth respondents with paragraph
7 above, the Sheriff be and is hereby authorised
to take all steps
and to sign all documents required in order to effect transfer of the
1000 ordinary no par value shares held
by the Trust in the first
respondent into the name of the applicant; and
9. The fourth, fifth, and
sixth respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Trust be
ordered to pay the costs of claim B
of the application;
10. Further and/or
alternative relief.
Background
[9]
On
13 January 2021, the applicant obtained judgment against the first
respondent for payment of R 3,084,242.39 together with interest
and
costs. The first respondent failed to comply with and make payment in
terms of the court order. Subsequent to the granting
of the order,
one week later, the first respondent was placed in a voluntary
creditor’s winding-up.
[10]
The
applicant and Global concluded a Subscription Agreement on 20
September 2017, in terms of which the applicant subscribed for
11 001
shares in Global for a price of R 11,000,010.00. Global had specific
obligations in respect of redemption of shares, payment
of dividends
and payments of a percentage of profits after tax.
[11]
The
applicant alleges that Global breached the agreement by failing to
pay the applicant R 5,500,000.00 for the redemption of 5,500
shares
as it was contractually obliged to do; by paying only part of the
dividends owing to the applicant, resulting in a shortfall
of R
429,778.72; and by failing to pay to the applicant 30% of the profits
after tax.
[12]
In
addition to the subscription agreement, the Trust issued a guarantee
in favour of the applicant. The Trust also ceded as continuing
covering security for the due payment and performance by Global of
its obligations under the Subscription Agreement, all of its
shares
in Global.
Claim A
[13]
The
parties have since agreed that the first respondent’s voluntary
winding-up be substituted with a compulsory winding-up
in terms of
section 346(1)(e) of the Companies Act 61 of 1973, and that the costs
of claim A of the application be costs in the
winding-up.
Claim B
[14]
In
respect of Claim B, the parties have agreed on the following, which
is recorded as part of a draft order subsequently prepared
by the
applicant’s attorneys:
[14.1.]
declaring that the fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth
respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Trust are liable
to pay the
applicant 30% of the profits after tax of the first
respondent from 18 October 2017 to date of the order, together with
interest
thereon at the rate of 7% per annum a tempore morae to date
of final payment, both dates inclusive, which the applicant may prove
in due course, if any, and subject to the Trust’s right to
raise prescription as a defence to any of the debts claimed by
the
applicant.
[14.2.]
the 1000 ordinary no par value shares held by the
Trust in the first respondent be transferred into the name of the
applicant.
[14.3.]
the fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth respondents in
their capacities as trustees of the Trust be and are hereby ordered
within 7 days
of the date of the order to take all steps necessary,
including signature of all documents that may be required, in order
to effect
transfer of the 1000 ordinary no par value shares held by
the Trust in the first respondent into the name of the applicant.
[14.4.]
that failing compliance by the fourth, fifth,
sixth and ninth respondents with the aforementioned paragraph, the
Sheriff be and
is hereby authorised to take all steps and to sign all
documents required in order to effect transfer of the 1000 ordinary
no par
value shares held by the Trust in the first respondent into
the name of the applicant.
[14.5.]
the Trust admits that it is liable to pay the
applicant the first redemption amount in the sum of R 2,750,000.00
together with interest
thereon at the rate of 7% per annum a tempore
morae to date of final payment, both dates inclusive.
[15]
What
remains for determination, therefore, is the following:
[15.1.]
whether the Trust is liable to pay the second
redemption amount of R 2,750,000.00;
[15.2.]
whether the Trust is liable to pay the sum of R
429,778.72 in respect of dividends;
[15.3.]
whether the Trust is liable to pay interest on the
aforementioned amounts at the rate of 7% per annum a tempore morae to
date of
final payment, both dates inclusive;
[15.4.]
whether the Trust or the applicant should be
liable for the costs of claim B of the application.
[16] In respect of the
amounts claimed, they are recorded in a certificate signed by Neville
John Bester, in his capacity as the
sole director and shareholder of
the applicant. Clause 2.4 of the Guarantee provides that a
certificate signed by any manager,
director or other officer of the
applicant (whose authority and appointment it shall not be necessary
to prove) setting forth the
amount of any guaranteed obligation
shall, in the absence of manifest error, be
prima facie
evidence of such amount as against the Trust. The certificate becomes
conclusive proof if no rebutting evidence is produced by
the Trust.
The
guarantee
[17]
The
following express terms are relevant:
2.1 Guarantee and
Indemnity
(a) The Guarantor hereby
irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees, as a separate, principal
and independent obligation (irrespective
of whether or not any of the
Guarantees Obligations are enforceable against the Obligor and not
merely as an ancillary obligation)
to and in favour of the Guaranteed
Party: (i) to pay to the Guaranteed Party, forthwith on first written
demand therefor and on
receipt of proof of failure, breach or other
default by the Obligor, any and all amounts that are due and payable
in respect of
the Guaranteed Obligations and that have not been paid
on due date, as if the Guarantor were the principal obligor.
(b) The Guarantor, as
principal obligor and as a separate and independent obligation from
its obligations under clause 2.1(a), hereby
irrevocably and
unconditionally indemnifies the Guaranteed Party and undertakes to
keep the Guaranteed Party indemnified in full
and on demand from and
against any and all losses, costs (including legal costs on a full
indemnity basis), claims, liabilities,
damages (whether actual or
consequential, direct or indirect) and expenses suffered or incurred
or which may be suffered or incurred
by the Guaranteed Party arising
out of, or in connection with, any failure of the Obligor to
punctually or fully perform or discharge
the Guaranteed Obligations
or as a result of any of the Guaranteed Obligations becoming
unenforceable, illegal or invalid for any
reason whatsoever. The
amount payable by the Guarantor under this indemnity will not exceed
the amount it would have been obliged
to pay under this Guarantee if
the amount claimed had been recoverable on the basis of a guarantee.
(c) Without derogating
from clauses 2.1(a) and 2.1(b), if any of the Guaranteed Obligations
is not recoverable from the Obligor
by reason of any illegality,
incapacity, lack of authority, ineffectiveness of execution or any
other reason, the Guarantor shall
remain liable under this Guarantee
for the Guaranteed Obligations as if it were the principal obligor.”
[18] ‘Guaranteed
obligations’ is defined as ‘any and all obligations of
the Obligor (whether current or future
actual or contingent and
including obligations to pay damages as a result of breach and any
other obligations whatsoever and whether
incurred solely or jointly)
under or in connection with the Subscription Agreement and/or the
Tigaza Preference Share Terms (as
defined therein).’
[19]
The
nature of the guarantee agreement is critical to the applicant’s
case.
[20]
The Trust
submits that the
Guarantee
is akin to a suretyship in terms of which the Trust takes up the
position as surety and co-principal debtor in solidum,
with the first
respondent, towards the applicant. As a result, the Trust may rely
upon and plead all the defences which the principal
debtor has
against the creditor, except those defences which are purely personal
to the principal debtor.
[1]
[21]
The essentials of suretyship are set out by Innes CJ in
Corrans and Another v
Transvaal Government and Coull's Trustee
:
[2]
the undertaking of the surety is accessory to the main contract, the liability
under which he does not disturb, but it is an undertaking that the
obligation
of the principal debtor will be discharged, and, if not,
that the creditor will be indemnified.
[22]
The
applicant contends that the Trust disregards the purpose and terms of
the guarantee, and that it is not a suretyship agreement.
The
guarantee creates a separate, principal and independent obligation,
not merely an accessory obligation.
[23]
A guarantee
may amount to either a contract of suretyship or a primary obligation
to perform under certain conditions or circumstances.
[3]
Its effect depends on its terms.
[4]
It is a
question
of construction whether a particular contract is an accessory
(secondary) guarantee (eg, suretyship) or a primary guarantee.
Context is important.
[5]
[24]
In
Natal
Joint Municipal Pension Fund v Endumeni Municipality
,
Wallis JA set out the current approach to interpretation, which has
since been endorsed by the Constitutional Court on several
occasions:
[6]
The present state of the
law can be expressed as follows. Interpretation is the process of
attributing meaning to the words used
in a document, be it
legislation, some other statutory instrument, or contract, having
regard to the context provided by reading
the particular provision or
provisions in the light of the document as a whole and the
circumstances attendant upon its coming
into existence. Whatever the
nature of the document, consideration must be given to the language
used in the light of the ordinary
rules of grammar and syntax; the
context in which the provision appears; the apparent purpose to which
it is directed and the material
known to those responsible for its
production. Where more than one meaning is possible each possibility
must be weighed in the
light of all these factors. The process is
objective not subjective. A sensible meaning is to be preferred to
one that leads to
insensible or unbusinesslike results or undermines
the apparent purpose of the document. Judges must be alert to, and
guard against,
the temptation to substitute what they regard as
reasonable, sensible or businesslike for the words actually used. To
do so in
regard to a statute or statutory instrument is to cross the
divide between interpretation and legislation. In a contractual
context
it is to make a contract for the parties other than the one
they in fact made. The ‘inevitable point of departure is the
language of the provision itself’ read in context and having
regard to the purpose of the provision and the background to
the
preparation and production of the document.
[25]
In
List
v Jurgens
[7]
the Appellate Division had to interpret the following provision:
On behalf of this company
and on my own personal behalf, I hereby warrant and guarantee that
the purchase price due to you (in respect
of the purchase of an
interest in a fishing vessel bought by one G) will be paid to you by
the end of December 1970.
[26] The Court held that
it was not a suretyship but an original undertaking whereby the
promissor bound himself as principal debtor
and not as surety.
[27]
Applying
the
Endumeni
principles, I am of the view that the guarantee is not a suretyship
agreement. The Trust gave an independent undertaking that it
will
perform in terms of the agreement.
The wording of clause 2.1
supports this interpretation, which provides for a separate,
principal and independent obligation (irrespective
of whether or not
any of the Guaranteed Obligations are enforceable against the Obligor
and not merely as an ancillary obligation).
Furthermore, the
Guarantor, as a separate and independent obligation from its
obligations under clause 2.1(a), irrevocably and
unconditionally
indemnifies the Guaranteed party (applicant) against any losses, and
so on. While correct that the subscription
agreement refers to the
guarantee and vice versa, it does not automatically follow that the
guarantee creates an accessory rather
than an independent obligation.
Other pointers include that the parties are
described differently than they would ordinarily be in a suretyship
agreement, for example
‘principal obligor’.
Dividend
[28]
Insofar
as the claim of R 429,778.72 for the scheduled dividends is
concerned, it is not disputed that Global was required to pay
the
applicant scheduled dividends totalling R 4,220,808.71. It is also
not disputed that Global has paid the applicant R3, 791,029.99
and
that there is a shortfall owing in the sum of R 429,778.72.
[29]
The
Trust relies on the definitions clause (clause 1.2 (i)) of the
Subscription Agreement to argue that the provisions of the
Companies
Act, 2008
apply. It states that ‘distribution’ shall bear
the meaning assigned to such term in the
Companies Act and
includes
any payment ... by way of interest or principal ..., dividend, fee,
royalty or other distribution of payment (including,
by way of the
repurchase of any shares). This, says the Trust, makes distribution
and payment of the dividend subject to the provisions
of the
Companies Act, 2008
. Therefore, the declaration and payment of
preference dividends were dependent on the existence of sufficient
funds, and had to
pass the liquidity test in terms of s 4 of the Act.
Global does not have the funds to pay; therefore, the dividend
payment claimed
by the applicant (R 429, 778.72) is not due and
payable.
[30]
The
respondents further assert that because no dividends were payable by
the first respondent to the applicant from 30 September
2020 onwards,
as surety and co-principal debtor, the Trust cannot be liable to pay
any dividends towards the applicant. According
to the Trust, the
applicant’s claim does not give rise to a ‘Guaranteed
Obligation’.
[31]
The
applicant argues that this is no defence. Firstly, there is no
express term in the Subscription Agreement providing for what
the
Trust contends. Secondly, in terms of the guarantee the Trust
guaranteed the performance by Global of its obligations under
the
Subscription Agreement as a separate, principal and independent
obligation. Clause 2 of the Guarantee provides for situations
where
Global is unable to pay amounts due in terms of the Subscription
Agreement, or where it may be unenforceable against Global,
for
whatever reason
(my emphasis).
[32]
The
applicant submits that clause 2.1(b) provides a
complete
indemnification
against any and all
losses suffered by the applicant, which would include an inability to
declare and pay dividends. The applicant
submits that the payment of
the scheduled dividends is a guaranteed obligation. As recorded
above, the clause irrevocably
and unconditionally indemnifies
the applicant against, inter alia, any and all losses, claims and
damages arising out of or in
connection with any failure by Global to
punctually or fully perform or discharge the guaranteed obligations,
or as a result of
the guaranteed obligations becoming unenforceable
for any reason whatsoever. An inability to declare and pay dividends
would be
covered by unenforceability ‘for any reason
whatsoever’.
[33]
The applicant relies further on clause
2.1(c) in the event that (a) and (b) may not apply. The essence of
the provision is that
if any of the guaranteed obligations is not
recoverable from Global for any reason, the Trust shall remain liable
under the guarantee
for the guaranteed obligations as if it were the
principal obligor. Accordingly, the Trust remains liable for the
balance of the
dividends owed to the applicant.
[34]
I find the argument of the Applicant
persuasive and that payment of the outstanding dividend amount is
payable by the Trust. I disagree
that the dividend is not a
guaranteed obligation; its definition is sufficiently broad to
incorporate payment of the dividend.
Redemption
[35]
In
terms of the subscription agreement, Global was required to redeem
5,500 shares. The claim of R 5,500,000.00 consists of the
first
redemption amount in the sum of R 2,750,000.00 which fell due on 18
October 2020, and the second redemption amount in the
sum of R
2,750,000.00 which fell due on 18 April 2021. The Trust does not
dispute that it is liable to pay R 2,750,000.00 (the
first redemption
amount that Global has failed to pay), but disputes liability in
respect of the second redemption amount.
[36]
In
respect of the second redemption amount, the Trust argues the
redemption was subject to s 4 of the 2008
Companies Act. The
Trust
refers to the Annexure A to the Subscription Agreement to explain the
circumstances under which the second redemption payment
was to occur:
3.2
Subject to compliance with
section 4
of the
Companies Act, the
Tigiza
A Preference Shares shall be redeemed by the Company on a bi-annual
basis as follows:
(a) …
(b) after the expiry of a
period of 6 months from the First Redemption Date [18 April 2021],
the Company shall redeem 2,750 of the
Tigiza A Preference Shares at
the Redemption Value (Second Redemption Date).”
[37]
In
short, the Trust submits that the Subscription Agreement provides
that the second redemption payment was subject, first and foremost,
to the solvency and liquidity test of
section 4
of the
Companies Act,
2008
; in other words, the Trust is only liable for payment of the
second redemption payment – as a ‘Guaranteed Obligation’
for purposes of the Guarantee – in circumstances where the
second redemption payment was approved and in compliance with
section
4
of the
Companies Act, 2008
.
[38]
Furthermore,
because the second redemption payment is not owing to the applicant -
due to the first respondent’s winding-up
and automatic
disqualification of the solvency and liquidity test - the Trust
cannot be liable for payment of the second redemption
payment towards
the applicant. The Trust’s obligation to pay the second
redemption payment remains tied to the solvency and
liquidity test of
the
Companies Act when
applied to the first respondent. The
applicant’s claim is therefore not a ‘Guaranteed
Obligation’.
[39]
The
import of the Trust’s argument, according to the applicant, is
that it is not liable to pay that amount as the due date
for payment
was after Global had been placed into voluntary winding up, thereby
no longer obligating Global to make payment. The
applicant contends
that there is no basis for this argument -- liquidation neither
discharges a debt, nor does it discharge a guarantor
such as the
Trust from liability.
[40] Again, I find myself
in agreement with the applicant. The provisions of clause 2 are
sufficiently broad to cover the issue
of share redemption, even
should the second payment have been subject to the solvency and
liquidity test. The Trust is not in the
position of a surety. As it
stands, it would appear that the financial status of Global is a
matter for investigation during the
winding up process.
[41] I have found that
the Trust is liable to pay both the dividend owing to the applicant,
as well as the second redemption amount.
I see no reason why the
Trust should not be liable for interest on these amounts as claimed
by the applicant. This is also reflected
in the certificate of
indebtedness. The Trust has agreed to pay interest on the amount (yet
to be determined) that will be due
to the applicant in respect of
profits, as well as the first redemption amount, on the same terms.
Joinder
and misjoinder: the identity of the trustees
[42]
An
in limine
point was taken by the Trust regarding the
identity of the trustees. The complaint was that
there
had been a non-joinder of Dean Levy, who the respondents allege is a
trustee of the Trust, and a misjoinder of the sixth respondent
(“Goldberg”), who the Trust contends is no longer a
trustee.
[43]
The Trust claims that the resignation and
appointment documentation were duly signed by the trustees of the
Trust and, thereafter,
submitted and stamped by the Master of the
High Court (as acknowledgement of receipt). The applicant’s
argument was that
the formalities in terms of s 21 of the Trust
Property Control Act were not complied with.
[44]
Levy was later joined as the ninth
respondent in his official capacity
by order of Strydom J on
21 July 2022
, out of an abundance of caution
according to the applicant. The application was not opposed. Any
issue regarding non-joinder has
therefore been cured.
[45]
In respect of misjoinder, the approach
adopted by the applicant and its insistence that Goldberg is still a
trustee, is understandable
considering the need to comply with the
formalities of the Trust Property Control Act. To my mind, this
does not disqualify
the application.
[46]
The
draft order submitted by the applicant refers to the fourth to six,
and ninth, respondents as the parties against whom the relief
is
sought in their official capacities. The draft order proposed by the
respondent also makes similar reference to these four respondents.
Costs
[47]
It
is trite that in awarding costs, a court has a discretion, which must
be exercised judicially upon a consideration of all the
facts,
the circumstances of each case, weighing the issues in the case, the
conduct of the parties and any other relevant circumstance
.
The discretion is wide, but not unlimited. As a rule of thumb, a
successful party is entitled to their costs.
A
court should make an order that would be fair and just between the
parties.
[8]
[48] Applicant’s
counsel submitted that there can be no basis for costs against the
applicant in respect of the joinder application.
No personal relief
was being sought against either Messrs Goldberg or Levy in their
personal capacity, and it is questionable what
costs they could have
incurred personally, considering that it is the Trust that is
opposing the application. Also, the fact that
the joinder issue was
not raised in the answering affidavit militates against an adverse
costs order.
[49]
It
was submitted by Mr Van Tonder that the Trust should not be saddled
with the costs of the joinder application, as it was not
opposed.
Similarly, in respect of the transfer of the shares, no demand was
made by the applicant – but had demand been made,
the Trust
would have transferred the shares. It did not oppose this relief in
the answering affidavit. The Trust should therefore
not be saddled
with those costs.
[50]
Having regard to all the relevant considerations, I am
satisfied that the
fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth
respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Trust be ordered
to pay the costs of claim B of
the application, except for the costs
of the joinder application. The joinder application was made by the
applicant and was not
opposed. Even though only out of an abundance
of caution, it was under the circumstances prudent of the applicant
to make the application.
It would be unfair to mulct the Trust with
those costs.
[51]
I intend to make the draft order, as
amended, an order of court.
I MAKE THE FOLLOWING
ORDER;
CLAIM A
1.
The first respondent’s creditors’
voluntary winding-up be substituted with a compulsory winding-up in
terms of section
346(1)(e) of the Companies Act 61 of 1973;
2.
The costs of claim A of the application be
costs in the winding-up.
CLAIM B
3.
The fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth
respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Cotterell Family
Trust (“
the Trust
”)
be ordered to pay to the applicant:
3.1.
R5 500 000.00; and
3.2.
R429 778.72;
4.
The fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth
respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Trust be ordered
to pay
interest on the amounts referred to in paragraph 3
above
at the rate of 7% per annum
a
tempore morae
to
date
of final payment, both dates inclusive;
5.
Declaring that the fourth, fifth, sixth and
ninth respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Trust are
liable to pay the
applicant
30% of the profits after tax of
the first respondent
from
18 October
2017 to date of the order, together with interest thereon
at
the rate of 7% per annum
a tempore morae
to
date of
final payment, both dates inclusive
, which the applicant may
prove in due course, if any, and subject to the Trust’s right
to raise prescription as a defence
to any of the debts claimed by the
applicant;
6.
The 1000 ordinary no par value shares held
by the Trust in the first respondent be transferred into the name of
the applicant;
7.
The fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth
respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Trust be and are
hereby ordered within 7 days
of the date of the order to take all
steps necessary, including signature of all documents that may be
required, in order to effect
transfer of the 1000 ordinary no par
value shares held by the Trust in the first respondent into the name
of the applicant;
8.
That failing compliance by the fourth,
fifth, sixth and ninth respondents with paragraph 7 above, the
Sheriff be and is hereby authorised
to take all steps and to sign all
documents required in order to effect transfer of the 1000 ordinary
no par value shares held
by the Trust in the first respondent into
the name of the applicant; and
9.
The fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth
respondents in their capacities as trustees of the Trust be ordered
to pay the costs of claim
B of the application, excluding the costs
of the separate joinder application.
M
Olivier
Acting Judge of the
High Court
Gauteng Division,
Johannesburg
Date of hearing: 28
November 2022
Date of judgment: 3 April
2023
On
behalf of Applicant
:
M.
T. A. Costa
Instructed
by
:
Salant
Attorneys
On
behalf of Fourth to Sixth Respondents
:
L.
Van Tonder
Instructed
by
:
Norton
Rose Fulbright
[1]
Ideal
Finance Corporation v Coetzer
1970 3 SA 1 (A).
[2]
1909 TS 605 at 612.
[3]
List v
Jurgens
1979 (3) SA 106 (A).
[4]
Jonnes
v Anglo-American Shipping Co (1936) Ltd
1972 (2) SA 827 (A).
[5]
Hutchinson v Hylton Holdings and Another
1993 (2) SA 405 (T).
[6]
Natal
Joint Municipal Pension Fund v Endumeni Municipality
2012 4 SA 593
(SCA) at para [18].
[7]
List
v Jurgens supra.
[8]
Fripp v Gibbon & Co
1913 AD 354 at 363.
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