Case Law[2023] ZAGPJHC 916South Africa
Ramakone and Others v City of Johannesburg and Another (2020/19611) [2023] ZAGPJHC 916 (15 August 2023)
High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Johannesburg)
15 August 2023
Judgment
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# South Africa: South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg
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## Ramakone and Others v City of Johannesburg and Another (2020/19611) [2023] ZAGPJHC 916 (15 August 2023)
Ramakone and Others v City of Johannesburg and Another (2020/19611) [2023] ZAGPJHC 916 (15 August 2023)
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sino date 15 August 2023
THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH
AFRICA
IN THE HIGH COURT OF
SOUTH AFRICA
GAUTENG DIVISION,
JOHANNESBURG
CASE NO:
2020/19611
NOT REPORTABLE
NOT OF INTEREST TO
OTHER JUDGES
REVISED
In the matter between:
DIANA
RAMAKONE
First
Applicant
THE
FURTHER UNLAWFUL OCCUPIERS OF
THE
FARM RIETFONTEIN 61 I.R, ALSO KNOWN
AS
THE FAIRMOUNT SPORTS CLUB LISTED IN
ANNEXURE
“DR2” TO THE FOUNDING AFFIDAVIT
Second
Applicant
And
THE
CITY OF JOHANNESBURG
First
Respondent
SHERIFF
JOHANNESBURG EAST
Second
Respondent
JUDGMENT
PG LOUW, AJ
Rescission of Judgment –
eviction order was erroneously sought or erroneously granted and
falls to be rescinded in terms of
rule 42(1)(a) – in addition
good cause shown – bona fide defence based on non-compliance
with s 4(6) and (7) of the
Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and
Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998
Introduction
[1]
This is an application for rescission and
setting aside of an eviction order granted by this court against the
applicants on 21
July 2021 (the eviction order).
[2]
In the alternative, the applicants seek
that the eviction order be varied in terms of s 4(12) of the
Prevention of Illegal Eviction
from and Unlawful Occupation of Land
Act 19 of 1998 (the PIE Act) in the following terms:
[2.1]
Stay the execution of the eviction pending
the finalisation of a process of provision of temporary alternative
accommodation to
the applicants.
[2.2]
Link the date of eviction in terms of the
eviction order to the date on which alternative accommodation is to
be provided by the
first respondent (the City).
[2.3]
Direct the City to constructively and
meaningfully engage on a solution to address the applicants’
right to housing on or
before a date to be determined by this court.
[3]
In addition, the applicants seek an order
that the City deliver all property confiscated from them following
their eviction on 17
January 2022. Initially this part of the relief
was sought against the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department
(JMPD) together
with leave to join the JMPD as third respondent in
this matter. However, during argument I was informed that the
applicants are
no longer persisting with seeking this part of the
relief against the JMPD, but rather against the City because the
confiscated
property is under the City’s control.
[4]
The City opposes the relief sought by the
applicants and initially it also sought leave to join the City of
Joburg Property Company
SOC Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the
City as fourth respondent in this matter. However, this entity was
not afforded notice
of the relief sought and during argument I was
informed that the City does not persist with this joinder
application.
Background
[5]
This application concerns Portion 89 of the
Farm Rietfontein 61 I.R., also known as the Fairmont Sports Club
situated at 29 George
Avenue, Fairmont Extension 2, Johannesburg (the
property). The property is owned by the City. Although the property
is described
as a farm, it has not been used for agricultural
purposes for some time. It is not in dispute that the provisions of
the PIE Act
apply to the property in question.
[6]
The City instituted an application for the
eviction of the first applicant (Ms Ramakone) and others during
August 2020 (the eviction
application).
[7]
The eviction application was served on Ms
Ramakone. It is common cause that the applicants were served with the
eviction application
and were granted an opportunity to deliver an
answering affidavit, but no answering affidavit was delivered.
[8]
On 17 June 2021 the form and contents of a
notice in terms of s 4(2) of the PIE Act was authorised by this
court. The notice in
terms of s 4(2) of the PIE Act, indicating that
the eviction application would be heard in court on 21 July 2021 was
served on
Mr Lucky Tshandu (Mr Tshandu).
[9]
The eviction application was heard on the
unopposed motion roll on 21 July 2021 and, as already stated, the
eviction order was then
granted. In terms of the eviction order, Ms
Ramakone and the other respondents in the eviction application were
ordered to vacate
the property by 31 July 2021.
[10]
The eviction order was not served on the
applicants and it only came to their attention when the eviction
order was executed on
17 January 2022.
[11]
The applicants in this application
consisting of Ms Ramakone and other unlawful occupiers of the
property listed in annexure “DR2”
to the founding
affidavit were evicted from the property, together with their
belongings, on 17 January 2022. I pause to mention
that of the four
respondents cited by name in the eviction application, it is only Ms
Ramakone who remains to be an occupant of
the property. From annexure
“DR2” to the founding affidavit in this application it
appears that at least another 21
people occupy the property.
[12]
The applicants approached the court on an
urgent basis on 20 January 2022 and Makume J granted an order in
terms of which the City
was directed to restore the applicants’
possession and occupation of the property pending the final
determination of this
application (the restoration order).
[13]
According to the applicants, while the
matter was being heard on 20 January 2022, members of the JMPD
informed the applicants that
their belongings which had been dumped
on the street when they were evicted, were situated in a manner which
is in contravention
of the City’s by-laws. The JMPD confiscated
the applicants’ belongings.
[14]
The applicants’ legal representatives
contacted the JMPD upon receiving the restoration order and the JMPD
returned the applicants’
belongings on 21 January 2022.
[15]
The
applicants were restored to occupation of the property on 21 January
2022. According to the applicants “
various
items were
[however]
missing
and some of the returned items were damaged”
.
A list of the missing items forms part of the papers.
[1]
[16]
I return to deal with the aspect of the
confiscated goods herein below.
The hearing of the
eviction application
[17]
Of
crucial importance in determining this matter, is what transpired at
court during the hearing of the eviction application on
21 July 2021.
The applicants’ version is the following:
[2]
“
Once
more, we received a notice from the [City’s] attorneys in June
2021 that we ought to appear before the Court for a hearing
regarding
the same matter on 21 July 2021. On arrival, we were informed that
due to the COVID-19 concerns only two residents were
allowed to enter
the court room and attend on the community’s behalf. We were
forced to designate two residents, ‘Lucky’
and Yvonne
Magala. We were informed by Lucky and Yvonne that they had explained
to the Court that we lived in a precarious circumstance
and had no
legal representation to assist us. They also conveyed that the Court
had informed them that a court order would be sent
to the City’s
attorneys, and that the City’s attorneys would furnish us with
the order and explain its contents. Up
to our eviction on 17 January
2022, they did not provide us with a copy of the eviction order or
explain its contents.”
[18]
Further,
the applicants state that they were without legal representation and
did not understand their rights or the legal process
at the time.
[3]
They deny that the eviction order was just and equitable
inter
alia
because their “
personal
circumstances were not adequately placed before the court”
.
[4]
[19]
In
this regard, the City’s version is that the respondents to the
eviction application, which includes Ms Ramakone, three
others and
the “
other
unlawful occupiers”
of the property “
were
present at the hearing of the matter and they addressed the
court”
.
[5]
Accordingly, the applicants (in this application) “
were
in attendance on the date of the hearing and this being the date the
court order was granted”
.
[6]
[20]
The
deponent to the City’s answering affidavit puts it thus:
[7]
“
I
emphasize that the order was granted by way of a draft order which
was confirmed by the presiding judge, in presence in the court
chamber, of the Applicants. The terms of the court order were
foreshadowed in the notice of motion as well as in the section 4(2)
notice. Accordingly, when the Applicants left this Honourable Court’s
premises on the hearing date, they already knew that
an eviction
order had been granted against them.”
[21]
It
is further stated in the answering affidavit that:
[8]
“
The
Applicants do not deny the knowledge of the [eviction] application
nor hearing but merely submit that due to covid restrictions
only
Mr
Luck
[
y
]
Tshandu
and a
Yvonne Magala
… were allowed in the court gallery to act as their
representative or at least
to act as
their ears
.” [Underlining added.]
[22]
According
to the applicants, Mr Tshandu and Ms Magala are lay persons and were
not authorised to represent the remaining applicants
at the hearing
of the eviction application.
[9]
[23]
These events bring me to the City’s
point
in limine
.
[24]
The
City contends that this rescission application is actually an appeal
disguised as a rescission. This contention is premised
inter
alia
,
but most importantly, on the allegation that the applicants were
present in court on 21 July 2021 when the eviction order was
granted.
Accordingly, so the contention goes, the eviction order was not
granted in the applicants’ absence. The City contends
that
rescission of the eviction order is therefore not competent and that
the applicants ought to have launched an appeal against
the eviction
order.
[10]
[25]
It
is trite that judgments or orders may be set aside in terms of the
provisions of rule 31(2)(b), rule 42 or the common law.
[11]
[26]
The
provisions of rule 31(2)(b) do not find application in this matter
because it deals with the situation where a defendant had
been in
default of delivery of a notice of intention to defend or a plea. The
sub-rule does not apply to judgments obtained on
an unopposed basis
in motion proceedings.
[12]
[27]
Rule 42(1)(a) provides for the rescission
or variation of an order or judgment erroneously sought or
erroneously granted
in the absence
of any party affected thereby.
[28]
The
grounds upon which a judgment or order can be set aside under the
common law are limited, but includes a judgment granted
by
default
.
[13]
[29]
From the quoted portions of the parties’
versions pertaining to what transpired at the hearing of the eviction
application,
it is clear that Mr Tshandu and Ms Magala were not
appearing before court as representatives of the remainder of the
applicants.
Mr Tshandu and Ms Magala could accordingly only have
represented themselves at the hearing. The eviction order was clearly
not
granted
in the absence
of
Mr Tshandu and Ms Magala or
by default
in so far as they are concerned.
[30]
As
such, the first jurisdictional requirement for a rescission of the
eviction order is absent in relation to Mr Tshandu and Ms
Magala.
There accordingly appears to be merit in the contention that their
dissatisfaction with the eviction order ought to have
been addressed
through the appeal process. It is, however, not necessary to make a
finding in this regard because Mr Tshandu and
Ms Magala did not
depose to confirmatory affidavits in support of the founding
affidavit deposed to by Ms Ramakone on behalf of
the applicants.
Confirmatory affidavits have also not been delivered by some of the
other names listed as applicants in annexure
“DR1” and
“DR2” to the founding affidavit.
[14]
This does of course not mean that the eviction order cannot be
rescinded at the behest of the remaining applicants because the
eviction order was in fact granted in their absence or by default in
so far as they are concerned.
[31]
The point
in
limine
is accordingly dismissed.
Rescission
[32]
In
so far as the remaining applicants’ case is concerned, in
relying on rule 42(1)(a) they need to show that the eviction
order
was erroneously sought or erroneously granted, in which event they
need
not
show good cause and the eviction order ought to be rescinded without
more.
[15]
[33]
In
so far as reliance is placed on the common law for the rescission of
the eviction order, the applicants need to show sufficient
cause,
which means that: (i) there must be a reasonable explanation for the
default; (ii) they must show that the rescission application
is being
made
bona
fide
;
and (iii) they must show that they have a
bona
fide
defence, which
prima
facie
carries some prospect of success.
[16]
[34]
It
is the applicants’ case that the eviction order was erroneously
granted.
[17]
[35]
According to their heads of argument, the
applicants also rely on the provisions of rule 42(1)(a) and 42(1)(b),
as well as the common
law for the rescission application. The
alternative relief for variation of the eviction order is sought in
terms of s 4(12) of
the PIE Act.
[36]
The
provisions of rule 42(1)(b) cannot assist the applicants in this
matter. The subrule caters for an order or judgment in which
there is
an ambiguity or a patent error or omission. An ambiguity or a patent
error or omission in this context is one as a result
of which the
judgment granted does not reflect the real intention of the court. In
other words, the ambiguous language or the patent
error or the
omission must be attributable to the court itself.
[18]
[37]
In my view, the eviction order was
erroneously sought or erroneously granted and falls to be rescinded
in terms of rule 42(1)(a).
The reasons for this finding are
discussed herein below, but first I deal with rescission under the
common law.
Explanation for
default
[38]
It is common cause that the eviction
application was served on the applicants. The applicants received
notice of the hearing date
of the eviction application and were
present in the court building on the hearing date, but save for Mr
Tshandu and Ms Magala,
were not allowed to enter the court room where
the eviction application was heard.
[39]
I am accordingly satisfied that the
applicants at least intended to be heard by the court considering the
eviction application.
[40]
Regarding
the applicants’ failure to obtain legal representation to
oppose the eviction application, they say that after they
received
notice of the eviction application in October 2020, “
we
could not oppose the eviction as we had no means to obtain legal
assistance. We then approached several organisations for free
legal
assistance with no success. Some informed us that they did not have
capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
[19]
[41]
They do not explain what steps they took to
obtain legal representation after they received notice in June 2021
of the hearing date
on 21 July 2021.
[42]
It
was only on 18 January 2022, pursuant to the execution of the
eviction order, that the applicants approached the Social-Economic
Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) to seek
pro
bono
legal assistance. SERI immediately attended to the matter.
[20]
It is not explained why SERI was not approached earlier.
[43]
The applicants’ explanation for not
obtaining legal representation earlier is not entirely satisfactory,
but it is evident
that they did intend to oppose the eviction
application and did attempt to participate in the hearing of the
eviction application.
[44]
I find that the applicants’
explanation for their default is reasonable in the circumstances of
this matter.
[45]
In
any event, a good defence may compensate for a poor explanation for
default.
[21]
Bona fides of the
application and the defence
[46]
Three
grounds are relied upon by the applicants for constituting good cause
why the eviction order should be rescinded.
[22]
Firstly, the City failed to meaningfully engage with the applicants
or to report to the court on the availability of alternative
accommodation. Secondly, the personal circumstances, especially the
risk of homelessness, were not taken into account by the court.
Mr
Brickhill submitted on behalf of the applicants that the eviction
order was not made after considering all the relevant circumstances
as required in terms of s 26(3) of the Constitution of the Republic
of South Africa, 1996 (the Constitution) and the PIE Act. Thirdly,
the date of eviction was not linked to the provision of temporary
alternative accommodation by the City.
[47]
In
Occupiers
of 51 Olivia Road, Berea Township, and 197 Main Street, Johannesburg
v City of Johannesburg and Others
[23]
the Constitutional Court explained that meaningful engagement is not
an arbitrary requirement nor is it a box ticking exercise
and
described the process as follows:
“
14
Engagement is a two-way process in
which the city and those about to become homeless would talk to each
other meaningfully in order
to achieve certain objectives. There is
no closed list of the objectives of engagement. Some of the
objectives of engagement in
the context of a city wishing to evict
people who might be rendered homeless consequent upon the eviction
would be to determine:
(a)
what
the consequences of the eviction might be;
(b)
whether the city could help in
alleviating those dire consequences;
(c)
whether
it was possible to render the buildings concerned relatively safe and
conducive to health for an interim period;
(d)
whether the city had any obligations
to the occupiers in the prevailing circumstances; and
(e)
when and how the city could or would
fulfil these obligations.
”
[48]
A
court considering an eviction application has to consider whether
there had been meaningful engagements between a city and a resident
about to be rendered homeless.
[24]
[49]
In
The
Occupiers of Shorts Retreat v Daisy Dear Investments
[25]
the Supreme Court of Appeal stated that a municipality’s
position in eviction proceedings under the PIE Act differs from
that
of a third party in ordinary litigation because it has constitutional
obligations it must discharge in favour of people facing
eviction.
[50]
According
to the City, at the time when the eviction application was issued,
and the eviction order was granted, there were no vulnerable
persons
or occupiers on the property. This was “
ascertained
through the various meetings held at the property as part of
meaningful
engagement
with the occupiers”
.
[26]
[51]
The
City says that various meetings were held at the property with a view
to identify the nature of the occupation, the number of
the occupants
and their respective personal circumstances. In all these meetings,
the occupants were “
seemingly
represented by Mr Lucky Tshandu”
.
[27]
[52]
In
the eviction application the City deals in one paragraph with this
aspect. The deponent states that he is:
[28]
“…
advised
that it would be important in the consideration of this matter for
the court to take into account how many vulnerable persons
there are
on the site. I have specifically for that purpose inspected the
property myself on a number of occasions, including when
the
photographs … were taken. There was never any evidence or
indication that the property was inhabited by any children
under 18,
any older persons, any household headed by a female or by a young
person. The second respondent is a female, but she
does not seem to
reside on the property.”
[53]
Mr Brickhill submitted that it is clear on
the City’s own version that these discussions did not
constitute meaningful engagement
as the discussions: (i) did not
involve all the residents; and (ii) did not address the risk of
homeless or the availability of
alternative accommodation at all.
There is merit in this submission.
[54]
Our
courts have repeatedly rescinded eviction orders where courts failed
to have regard to the relevant circumstances.
[29]
In
Occupiers
,
Berea
v De Wet N.O. and Another
[30]
the Constitutional Court held that:
[31]
“
The
court will grant an eviction order only where: (a) it has all the
information about the occupiers to enable it to decide whether
the
eviction is just and equitable; and (b) the court is satisfied that
the eviction is just and equitable having regard to the
information
in (a). The two requirements are inextricable, interlinked and
essential.
An
eviction order granted in the absence of either one of these two
requirements will be arbitrary
.
I reiterate that the enquiry has nothing to do with the
unlawfulness of occupation. It assumes and is only due when
the
occupation is unlawful.” [Underlining added.]
[55]
The
facts of this matter are similar to those in
Berea
.
In
Berea
,
the Constitutional Court rescinded an eviction order granted by
consent on the basis that the single person purporting to represent
the residents was not properly authorised to do so and that the
residents were not aware of their legal rights.
[32]
[56]
In casu
,
having regard to the version of both the applicants and the City
pertaining to what transpired at court on 21 July 2021, the
applicants had not given Mr Tshandu and Ms Magalo a mandate to
represent the applicants in the eviction application. The applicants
were without legal representation and did not understand their rights
or the legal process involved.
[57]
In
addition, it is common cause that the City did not provide the court
hearing the eviction application with a report dealing with
the issue
of alternative accommodation.
[33]
This failure is attributed to the City’s view that through the
“
various
meetings and visits”
[34]
there are no vulnerable persons in occupation of the property.
[58]
The
City has subsequently filed a report on temporary emergency
accommodation dated 22 September 2022. In my view, the report ought
to have been presented to the court at the hearing of the eviction
application.
[35]
[59]
The
City’s report was not before the court when it considered the
eviction application. The personal circumstances of the
applicants
were not placed before the court when it considered the eviction
application. If the occupiers had been able to
place their
personal circumstances before the court hearing the eviction
application, the court would have been made aware of
inter
alia
the following: the occupiers included at least one minor child as
well as elderly persons and households headed by women, whose
rights
and needs must be given special consideration under s 4(6) and (7) of
the PIE Act.
[36]
These
allegations are not genuinely disputed in the City’s answering
affidavit. In fact the City’s report refers to
the minor
child.
[37]
[60]
In
the circumstances I am satisfied that the personal circumstances of
all of the residents were not placed before the court hearing
the
eviction order. As such, the eviction order was arbitrary.
[38]
The eviction order was accordingly erroneously sought or erroneously
granted and should therefore be rescinded.
[61]
Mr
Brickhill also referred me to
Occupiers,
Shulana Court, 11 Hendon Road, Yeoville, Johannesburg v Steele
[39]
where the Supreme Court of Appeal held that the possibility that the
residents’ eviction might lead to homelessness is a
good
defence with some prospects of success.
[62]
This is exactly what happened in this
instance when the eviction order was executed: the applicants were
left homeless. It follows
that even if the eviction order was not
erroneously sought or erroneously granted, it falls to be rescinded
on the basis that,
as I have already found, the applicants’
explanation for their default is reasonable, and they have disclosed
a
bona fide
defence
with some prospects of success.
[63]
In light of my findings in this regard, it
is not necessary to deal with the alternative relief sought by the
applicants pertaining
to the variation of the eviction order.
Return of confiscated
goods
[64]
During their eviction on 17 January 2022,
the JMPD confiscated many of the applicants’ personal
belongings. Pursuant to the
restoration order granted on 20 January
2022 and the applicants’ restoration to their homes, some of
the confiscated property
was restored.
[65]
The
applicants, however, allege that certain items, specified in a list
attached to their supplementary affidavit
[40]
were not returned to them. These items include
inter
alia
appliances and money.
[66]
The City’s answering affidavit is
silent in respect of these allegations.
[67]
Mr Khoza, who appeared on behalf of the
City, asked the rhetorical question during argument how the City is
supposed to prove that
it did not confiscate money. Mr Khoza also
argued that the applicants provided no proof of the existence of the
confiscated goods.
I posed the question to Mr Khoza whether an
inventory or similar document reflecting a description of the
confiscated good
exists. I was informed that there is none.
[68]
As referred to earlier, the applicants
initially sought leave to join the JMPD to these proceedings for
purposes of obtaining this
part of the relief sought. I accept, to
the benefit of the City, that it is for this reason that the
answering affidavit does not
deal with the allegations pertaining to
the confiscated goods. The applicants only indicated in their heads
of argument that they
will no longer persist with seeking to join the
JMPD.
[69]
I
am therefore inclined to afford the City an opportunity to deliver a
supplementary affidavit, if it is so advised, dealing with
the issue
of the confiscated goods. The provisions of rule 6(5)(g) affords me
the discretion to grant such an order. It provides
that where an
application cannot properly be decided on affidavit, the court may
make such order as it deems fit with a view to
ensuring a just and
expeditious decision. In
Nkwentsha
v Minister of Law and Order
[41]
Vivier
JA stated the following:
“
Our
own rule 6(5)(g) …, is, however, of wide import, and empowers
the Court, whenever an application cannot properly be decided
on
affidavit, to ‘make such order as to it seems meet with a view
to ensuring a just and expeditious decision’ …
It is
purely a procedural matter and, in view of the aforegoing, I would
hold that such power is in any event authorised under
the Court’s
inherent jurisdiction to regulate its procedure in the interests of
the proper administration of justice …”.
[70]
The
court’s power to make such an order as it seems meet with a
view to ensuring a just and expeditious decision, is not limited
to
matters where there are disputes of fact and referral to oral
evidence or trial is required. In this regard, the following was
held
in
Moosa
Bros & Sons (Pty) Ltd v Rajah
:
[42]
“
However,
I go further and can
find no
justification for restricting
as a
matter of interpretation
the scope of
the Rule to ‘disputes of fact
’
…. The opening sentence of the Rule is couched in the widest
possible language and applies, inter alia, in the case
of an
unopposed motion. …
The Rule
expressly states that the Court may make ‘such an order as to
it seems meet’ whenever an application cannot
‘properly’
be decided on affidavit
.
If
it had been the intention to restrict the ambit of this Rule to
‘disputes of fact’ this phrase would, in my view,
have
been used in this opening sentence
. In
the one which follows there is a reference to ‘any dispute of
fact’, but it is in express terms stated to be subordinate
to
the general authority conferred. It merely particularises –
perhaps somewhat unnecessarily – the courses open to
the Court
when a matter cannot be properly decided on affidavit.”
[Underlining added.]
Costs
[71]
That then leaves the issue of costs.
[72]
Mr Khoza submitted that if the rescission
application is granted, there should be no order as to costs,
alternatively costs of the
rescission application should be in the
cause. He submitted that the City was within its rights to oppose the
setting aside of
an order granted lawfully in its favour.
[73]
Mr Brickhill submitted that the applicants
are entitled to costs if the rescission application succeeds.
[74]
The relief sought in respect of the issue
of the confiscated goods will not be disposed of at this juncture and
the issue of costs
remains alive in this respect.
[75]
Generally, where a rescission application
is successful, it is not unusual that costs of the rescission
application are to
be costs in the cause. There is no reason why I
should deviate from this principle.
Order
[76]
In the premises, the following order is
granted:
1.
The eviction order granted in this matter
on 21 July 2021 is hereby rescinded and set aside.
2.
The applicants are directed to deliver
their answering affidavit to the eviction application within fifteen
days of the granting
of this order.
3.
The relief sought in paragraph 4 under part
B of the applicants’ amended notice of motion dated 8 March
2022 is postponed
sine die
.
4.
The first respondent is granted leave to
deliver a supplementary answering affidavit dealing with the relief
sought in paragraph
4 under part B of the amended notice of motion
within fifteen days of this order being granted.
5.
The applicants are granted leave to deliver
a supplementary replying affidavit dealing with the relief sought in
paragraph 4 under
part B of the amended notice of motion within ten
days of delivery of the first respondent’s supplementary
answering affidavit.
6.
The costs of the rescission application,
save for the costs pertaining to the relief sought in paragraph 4
under part B of the amended
notice of motion, will be costs in the
eviction application.
7.
The issue of costs pertaining to the
relief sought in paragraph 4 under part B of the amended notice
of motion is reserved.
PG LOUW
ACTING JUDGE OF THE
HIGH COURT
GAUTENG DIVISION,
JOHANNESBURG
Counsel for Applicant:
Adv J Brickhill
Instructed by:
Socio-Economic Rights
Institute of South Africa (SERI)
Counsel for
Respondent:
Mr T P Khoza
Instructed by:
T P Khoza Attorneys Inc
Date
of hearing: 16 May 2023
Date of judgment: 15
August 2023
[1]
Supplementary
affidavit: annexure “DRS19”.
[2]
Founding
affidavit: para 38.
[3]
Founding
affidavit: para 48.
[4]
Founding
affidavit: para 29.
[5]
Answering
affidavit: para 18.
[6]
Answering
affidavit: para 22.
[7]
Answering
affidavit: para 23.
[8]
Answering
affidavit: para 24.
[9]
Replying
affidavit: para 38.
[10]
Answering
affidavit: paras 14 to 19.
[11]
Hardroad
(Pty) Ltd v Oribi
Motors
(Pty) Ltd
1977 (2) SA 576
(W) 578.
[12]
Eskom
Holdings SOC Ltd v Akgwevhu Enterprise (Pty) Ltd
(unreported
GJ case no. 4554921 dated 22 November 2022) para 19 to 20; see also
Van
Loggerenberg, Erasmus: Superior Court Practice
,
Vol 2, Second Edition, D1-364 and D1-365.
[13]
De
Wet v Western Bank Ltd
1979 (2) SA 1031
(A) 1042F to 1043A.
[14]
Compare
“DR1” and “DR2” to the confirmatory
affidavits at CaseLines: 04-93 – 04-128.
[15]
Mutebwa
v Mutebwa
2001
(2) SA 193
(TkH) para 13-17.
[16]
De
Wet v Western Bank Ltd
1979 (2) SA 1031
(A) 1042. See also: Joffe:
High
Court Motion Procedure – A Practical Guide
,
Service Issue 15, July 2022, 1-84 to 1-85.
[17]
Founding
affidavit: para 10.
[18]
First
National Bank of South Africa Ltd v Jurgens
1993
(1) SA 245
(W) 246E-F.
[19]
Founding
affidavit: para 37.
[20]
Founding
affidavit: para 24.
[21]
Colyn
v Tiger Food Industries Ltd t/a Meadow Food Mills (Cape)
2003 (6) SA 1
(SCA) para 12.
[22]
Founding
affidavit: para 51 onwards.
[23]
[2008] ZACC 1
;
2008
(3) SA 208
(CC) para 14.
[24]
Occupiers
of 51 Olivia Road
para 22.
[25]
(245/2008)
[2009] ZASCA 80
(3 July 2009) para 14.
[26]
Answering
affidavit: para 40.
[27]
Answering
affidavit: para 42
[28]
Founding
affidavit in the rescission application: para 21.
[29]
See
Occupiers,
Shulana Court, 11 Hendon Road, Yeoville, Johannesburg v Steele
[2010] 4 All SA 54 (SCA).
[30]
2017
(5) SA 346 (CC).
[31]
Para
48.
[32]
Occupiers,
Berea
para 32-37.
[33]
Answering
affidavit: para 53.
[34]
Answering
affidavit: para 54.
[35]
City
of Johannesburg v Changing Tides 74 (Pty) Ltd and Others
2012 (6) SA 294 (SCA) para 34 and
Occupiers,
Berea
para
33
.
[36]
Founding
affidavit: para 33 to 47.
[37]
Para
29.
[38]
Occupiers,
Berea
para 48.
[39]
[2010]
4 All SA 54
(SCA) para 16.
[40]
Annexure
“DRS19”.
[41]
1988
(3) SA 99
(A) 117C-E.
[42]
1975
(4) SA 87
(D) 91A-D.
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