Case Law[2022] ZAGPJHC 571South Africa
Apostolic Faith Mission of SA ,Randburg Assembly v Arrowhead Properties Limited and Others (13298/2020) [2022] ZAGPJHC 571 (16 August 2022)
Judgment
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# South Africa: South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg
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## Apostolic Faith Mission of SA ,Randburg Assembly v Arrowhead Properties Limited and Others (13298/2020) [2022] ZAGPJHC 571 (16 August 2022)
Apostolic Faith Mission of SA ,Randburg Assembly v Arrowhead Properties Limited and Others (13298/2020) [2022] ZAGPJHC 571 (16 August 2022)
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sino date 16 August 2022
IN
THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
GAUTENG
LOCAL DIVISION, JOHANNESBURG
CASE
NO: 13298/2020
REPORTABLE:
NO
OF
INTEREST TO OTHER JUDGES: NO
REVISED:
NO
16
AUGUST 2022
In
the matter between:
APOSTOLIC
FAITH MISSION OF
SOUTH
AFRICA, RANDBURG ASSEMBLY
Applicant
and
ARROWHEAD
PROPERTIES LIMITED
First Respondent
EXCELLERATE
REAL ESTATE SERVICES (PTY) LTD
t/a
JHI PROPERTIES (PTY)
LTD
Second Respondent
CUMULATIVE
PROPERTIES LTD
Third Respondent
UNLOCKED
PROPERTIES 23 (PTY) LTD
Fourth Respondent
MAFADI
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (PTY) LTD
Fifth Respondent
This
Judgment was delivered electronically, and the deemed date of
delivery of the Judgment is the date that the Judgment is stamped
and
uploaded to CaseLines, regardless of the date that may appear on the
Judgment.
J
U D G M E N T:
NEL
AJ
RELIEF
SOUGHT
[1]
This is an opposed application in terms of which the Applicant (“the
Apostolic Faith Mission”) sought an order in the Notice of
Motion in,
inter alia
, the following terms:
[1.1] That the
Respondents are to pay, jointly and severally, the one paying the
other to be absolved, the amount of R243 533.07
to the
Applicant;
[1.2] In the
alternative to the claim for payment of the amount of R243 533.07,
that the Respondents be ordered to provide
to the Applicant a
reconciliation account reflecting all transactions, including such
transactions relating to the rental deposit
paid by the Applicant in
respect of the rented premises; and
[1.3] That the
Respondent or Respondents who are in possession of the rental deposit
amount (or the balance thereof) be ordered
to make payment of that
amount to the Applicant.
[2]
The alternative relief sought in paragraphs [1.2] and [1.3] are
framed
in such a manner as to be distinct, but it appears that what
the Applicant seeks as alternative relief is a statement and
debatement
of the lease amounts paid, and then payment of such amount
that may be found to be due to the Applicant.
[3]
The Applicant also seeks a punitive costs order against all of the
Respondents,
on the scale as between attorney and own client.
[4]
The First, Second, Third and Fourth Respondents have opposed the
Application
and the relief sought and have filed Answering Affidavits
in such regard. The Fifth Respondent has not filed a Notice of
Intention
to Oppose.
[5]
The Fourth Respondent also filed a Supplementary Answering Affidavit,
relating to its subsequent investigations and factual aspects that
had occurred subsequent to the filing of its initial Answering
Affidavit.
[6]
The Applicant filed Replying Affidavits to all of the Answering
Affidavits,
including the Supplementary Answering Affidavit.
[7]
On the day of the hearing of the Application the Applicant’s
legal
representatives uploaded a draft Court Order, omitting only the
relief relating to the payment of the deposit amount, as set out
in
paragraph 1.1 above, but still seeking the remaining relief as set
out in the Notice of Motion.
RELEVANT
BACKGROUND
[8]
On 4 July 2014 the Apostolic Faith Mission and the First Respondent,
Arrowhead
Properties Limited (“Arrowhead”) concluded a
written Lease Agreement (“the First Lease Agreement”) in
terms
of which the Apostolic Faith Mission would lease certain
premises situated in Randburg, to be used as a church, from
Arrowhead.
[9]
The First Lease Agreement was to endure for a period of three years,
and
would terminate on 30 September 2017.
[10]
In terms of the First Lease Agreement the Apostolic Faith Mission was
required to pay a
deposit of R 243 533.07 to Arrowhead,
which deposit amount was duly paid by the Apostolic Faith Mission.
[11]
Prior to the expiry of the First Lease Agreement, the leased premises
were sold by Arrowhead
to the Third Respondent, Cumulative Properties
Limited (“Cumulative”), the transfer of which was
registered on 21 November
2016.
[12]
During the period from 30 September 2017 to February 2018 no formal
written Lease Agreement
was in place, but the Apostolic Faith Mission
and Cumulative dealt with the leased premises on the same terms and
conditions as
the First Lease Agreement that had expired on 30
September 2017, on a month-to-month basis.
[13]
On 26 January 2018 the Apostolic Faith Mission and Cumulative
concluded a written Lease
Agreement (“the Second Lease
Agreement”), which Lease Agreement would endure for one year,
and would terminate on 31
January 2019.
[14]
Prior to the expiry of the Second Lease Agreement period, the leased
premises were sold
by Cumulative to the Fourth Respondent, Unlocked
Properties 23 (Pty) Ltd (“Unlocked”), which sale was
registered on
6 August 2018.
[15]
During the period that the leased premises were owned by Arrowhead
and Cumulative, the
Second Respondent, Excellerate Real Estate
Services (Pty) Ltd t/a JHI Properties (Pty) Ltd (“Excellerate”)
was appointed
as the Managing Agent for Arrowhead and Cumulative.
[16]
During the period that the leased premises were owned by Unlocked,
the leased premises
were managed by the Fifth Respondent, Mafadi
Property Management (Pty) Ltd (“Mafadi”).
[17]
The Lease Agreement terminated on 31 January 2019, and the Apostolic
Faith Mission vacated
the leased premises, by 28 February 2019.
THE
ISSUES IN DISPUTE
[18]
The issues to be determined in this matter are the following:
[17.1]
Whether any amount should be repaid to the Apostolic Faith
Mission as
the rental deposit amount.
[17.2]
Which of the Respondents are to repay the rental deposit
amount to
the Apostolic Faith Mission.
[17.3]
What amount should be repaid to the Apostolic Faith Mission.
[17.4]
Is the Apostolic Faith Mission entitled to a reconciliation
of all
accounts during the various lease periods, and if so, who is obliged
to provide such reconciliation?
[17.5]
Whether the Respondents should pay the costs of the Application
and
the scale of the costs.
[17.6]
Whether it was necessary to cite and claim as against all
of the
Respondents.
REPAYMENT
OF THE RENTAL DEPOSIT AMOUNT
[19]
The Apostolic Faith Mission is clearly entitled to repayment of the
rental deposit amount
paid by it as security in respect of the leased
premises, provided that it had complied with its contractual
obligations.
[20]
It is not disputed by any of the Respondents that the rental deposit
amount, or such portion
thereof that may be owing to the Apostolic
Faith Mission is to be repaid to the Apostolic Faith Mission.
WHICH
RESPONDENT IS TO REPAY THE RENTAL DEPOSIT AMOUNT
[21]
Unlocked has accepted that it has the obligation to repay the rental
deposit amount to
the Apostolic Faith Mission.
[22]
Whilst I deal with the obligation to repay the rental deposit amount
in greater detail
below, it is an established principle that a
purchaser of immovable property that has an existing lease agreement
attached to such
immovable property, becomes the lessor upon the
purchase of the immovable property.
[23]
At the time of the vacation of the leased premises in February 2019,
by the Apostolic Faith
Mission, Unlocked was the Lessor of the leased
premises, and was accordingly obliged to repay the rental deposit
amount, or such
portion thereof, that was payable to the Apostolic
Faith Mission.
AMOUNT
TO BE PAID TO THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION
[24]
The rental deposit amount initially paid by the Apostolic Faith
Mission was R243 533.07.
[25]
In the First Lease Agreement, concluded on 4 July 2014, it was
recorded at clause 12 thereof
that the Apostolic Faith Mission was
required to make payment of a deposit amount, or provide a guarantee,
in the amount of R243 533.07.
It is also clear from the same
clause that such amount was provided as security for the obligations
of the Apostolic Faith Mission
in terms of the First Lease Agreement.
[26]
In terms of clause 6 of the Standard Terms and Conditions applicable
to the First Lease
Agreement, the rental deposit amount would be
retained by the Landlord until the vacation of the leased premises by
the Tenant
and the complete discharge of all of the Tenant’s
obligations to the Landlord arising from the Lease Agreement. It is
also
clear from such clause that the Landlord would be entitled to
apply the whole or portions of the rental deposit towards payment
of
the rent or the amount of any other obligations for which the Tenant
was responsible including any damages arising on cancellation.
[27]
In terms of the Second Lease Agreement concluded on 26 January 2018,
the Apostolic Faith
Mission was obliged to provide a deposit
equivalent to two months’ gross rental inclusive of VAT. It is
recorded in the Second
Lease Agreement that the Landlord (Cumulative)
holds a deposit in an amount of R243 533.07.
[28]
It is accordingly clear that as at 26 January 2018, the amount of the
rental deposit that
would have been repayable to the Apostolic Faith
Mission was R243 533.07.
[29]
In terms of the Second Lease Agreement the rental deposit amount
would also be retained
by the Landlord until three months after the
expiry of the Second Lease Agreement, and the complete discharge of
the Tenant’s
obligations to the Landlord arising from the Lease
Agreement, whereafter the deposit would be paid to the Tenant without
interest.
[30]
The Second Lease Agreement was also applicable to the Apostolic Faith
Mission’s tenancy
after Unlocked became the owner and the
Landlord in respect of the leased premises.
[31]
Unlocked was therefore obliged to repay the rental deposit, less any
amounts that may have
been required to discharge the Apostolic Faith
Mission’s obligations in terms of the Second Lease Agreement,
within a period
of three months after the termination of the Lease
Agreement (or the vacation of the leased premises).
[32]
Unlocked referred to a “
more comprehensive lease agreement
”
concluded on 19 April 2018 and attached such lease agreement to its
Supplementary Affidavit.
[33]
Unlocked contends that the 19 April 2018 Lease Agreement (“the
Third Lease Agreement”)
replaced the Second Lease Agreement, in
accordance with clause 17 of the Second Lease Agreement which
stipulated that a more comprehensive
Landlord Standard Agreement of
Lease would be concluded at the sole discretion of Cumulative.
[34]
The Third Lease Agreement also refers to Cumulative holding a deposit
in the amount of
R243 533.07 as security from the Apostolic
Faith Mission.
[35]
The Third Lease Agreement is signed for and on behalf of the
Apostolic Faith Mission, but
has not been signed for or on behalf of
Cumulative.
[36]
Similarly, to the Second Lease Agreement, the Schedule to the Third
Lease Agreement (at
clause 6) entitles the Landlord to deduct from
the rental deposit amount such amounts that may be owing by the
Tenant to the Landlord,
in compliance of the Tenant’s
obligations of whatsoever nature to the Landlord.
[37]
The Apostolic Faith Mission appears to dispute that the Third Lease
Agreement came into
existence, but it is irrelevant for the purposes
of this Application, to make a determination in such regard.
[38]
In the Answering Affidavit filed on behalf of Arrowhead, Excellerate
and Cumulative, it
was alleged that the Apostolic Faith Mission had
failed to make payment of all amounts due to Cumulative and Unlocked
in terms
of the Second Lease Agreement.
[39]
In the Answering Affidavit it was also alleged that the Apostolic
Faith Mission had failed
to make all payments due to Cumulative, and
that Cumulative was entitled to deduct the amounts due to Cumulative
from the rental
deposit amount.
[40]
In the Replying Affidavit of the Apostolic Faith Mission, it was
stated that Cumulative
had indicated in correspondence that an amount
of R42 174.86 would be deducted from the rental deposit amount
of R243 533.07
leaving a balance of R201 358.21, which
would be paid over to Unlocked.
[41]
In the Replying Affidavit, the Apostolic Faith Mission describes the
amount of R201 358.21
as “
in fact the exact amount
being the remainder of Applicant’s deposit
”.
[42]
In response to the allegation made in Cumulative’s Answering
affidavit that the Apostolic
Faith Mission had failed to make payment
of all amounts due to Cumulative, the Apostolic Faith Mission stated
in its Replying Affidavit
that the amount that the Apostolic Faith
Mission owed to Arrowhead, Excellerate and Cumulative was deducted
from the Applicant’s
rental deposit amount on 6 August 2018.
[43]
The Apostolic Faith Mission accordingly conceded that it was indebted
to Cumulative and
has not disputed that the amount of R42 174.86
was the amount payable to Cumulative, and clearly accepted that the
amount
deducted was due to Cumulative.
[44]
There is also reference to the deduction of the amount of R42 174.86
in the Founding
Affidavit of the Apostolic Faith Mission.
[45]
The Apostolic Faith Mission accepted that the amount transferred to
Unlocked, being R201 358.21
was the rental deposit amount that
would be repayable by Unlocked to the Apostolic Faith Mission at the
termination of the lease
period. In subsequent calculations the
Apostolic Faith Mission appears to have forgotten that the rental
deposit amount had reduced
from R243 533.07 to R201 358.21.
[46]
The Apostolic Faith Mission accepted that in terms of the Second
Lease Agreement, Unlocked
was entitled to deduct any arrear amounts
from the rental deposit amount.
[47]
In the Apostolic Faith Mission’s Replying Affidavit filed in
response to Unlocked’s
Answering Affidavit, the Apostolic Faith
Mission admitted that it was indebted to Unlocked in an amount of
R81 974.74.
[48]
In the Answering Affidavit, Unlocked had alleged that the Apostolic
Faith Mission was in
arrears in an amount of R143 586.68.
[49]
In the Replying Affidavit, the Apostolic Faith Mission contended that
the amount due to
it was R162 133.53, together with interest
thereon. Such amount is clearly calculated by deducting the admitted
arrears due
to Unlocked (R81 974.74) from the initial rental
deposit amount of R243 533.07.
[50]
Such calculation ignores that an amount of R42 174.86 had
already been deducted from
the rental deposit of R243 533.07,
leaving the balance of the rental deposit paid to Unlocked as being
R201 358.21, which
the Apostolic Faith Mission accepted as being
the rental deposit amount due to it.
[51]
The admitted indebtedness to Unlocked of R81 974.74 should
accordingly have been deducted
from the amount of R201 358.21,
and not the amount of R243 533.07. Upon a proper calculation,
the deposit rental amount
repayable to the Apostolic Faith Mission by
Unlocked was R119 383.47.
[52]
In addition, interest would be payable on such amount by Unlocked, as
from 1 June 2019
to date of payment.
[53]
In the Supplementary Affidavit filed by Unlocked, it was set out that
an amount of R111 154.59
was paid to the Apostolic Faith Mission
on 14 November 2020, and that a further amount of R38 100.18
would be paid together
with the filing of the Supplementary
Affidavit.
[54]
As at 14 November 202, Unlocked had made payment of an amount of R149
254.77
[55]
Unlocked also alleged in such Supplementary Affidavit that the
Apostolic Faith Mission
had therefore been paid “
the full
balance of the deposit that is due to it
”.
[56]
In the Replying Affidavit, the Apostolic Faith Mission did not
dispute such allegation
but pointed out that it had to launch the
Application in order to obtain a response from the Respondents and
complained of the
“
obstructive behaviour
” of the
Respondents.
[57]
The Apostolic Faith Mission referred to the “
belated
calculations
” of Unlocked but did not suggest that they
were wrong or inaccurate.
[58]
Having regard to the calculations referred to above, I have concluded
that Unlocked has
overpaid the Apostolic Faith Mission, even taking
into account the interest payable on the balance of the rental
deposit that was
repayable.
[59]
In the circumstances, I find that no further amounts are repayable by
Unlocked (or any
of the other Respondents) to the Apostolic Faith
Mission.
ENTITLEMENT
TO A RECONCILIATION
[60]
The Apostolic Faith Mission seeks an order, in terms of the Draft
Order, uploaded on the
date of the hearing, that the Respondents are
to provide a reconciliation of “
all transactions, including
the rental deposit, from 1 October 2018, to date
”.
[61]
It is clear that what the Apostolic Faith Mission seeks is a
statement and debatement,
and not simply the provision of a
reconciliation, as the preparation and provision of a reconciliation,
regardless of what such
reconciliation reflected, would not
automatically result in any amount being payable to the Apostolic
Faith Mission. A further
legal proceeding would have to be
instituted, based on the reconciliation. It is clear that that is not
what the Apostolic Faith
Mission envisaged in launching the
Application.
[62]
The Apostolic Faith Mission has not made out any case as to its
entitlement to a statement
and debatement, or for any related relief.
[63]
It is clear that the issue of the dispute raised by the Apostolic
Faith Mission relates
to the repayment of the rental deposit, and the
amount of such rental deposit.
[64]
The Apostolic Faith Mission was able to set out the arrears it had
accumulated, which were
due to Cumulative and Unlocked, and was also
able to calculate the amount due to it by Unlocked (albeit that such
calculation was
incorrect, as it commenced from an incorrect
premise).
[65]
In such circumstances where the Apostolic Faith Mission was able to
determine the amounts
due to it, there is clearly no need for any
reconciliation, or for a statement and debatement.
[66]
In the circumstances, I find that the Apostolic Faith Mission is not
entitled to a “reconciliation”,
as sought in the Notice
of Motion and the Draft Order, from any of the Respondents.
THE
CITATION OF THE RESPONDENTS
[67]
The Apostolic Faith Mission cited Arrowhead, Excellerate, Cumulative,
Unlocked and Mafadi
as Respondents, and seeks relief as against all
five Respondents.
[68]
The Apostolic Faith Mission states that Arrowhead appointed
Excellerate as its Managing
Agent, and that the Apostolic Faith
Mission paid the rental deposit of R243 533.07 to Excellerate,
in its capacity as agent
of Arrowhead.
[69]
The Apostolic Faith Mission contends that it was necessary to cite
and join all five Respondents
as the Apostolic Faith Mission “
did
not know as a certainty
” which of the five Respondents were
in possession of the rental deposit amount.
[70]
In the Applicant’s Replying Affidavit filed in response to
Unlocked’s Supplementary
Answering Affidavit, it was alleged on
behalf of the Apostolic Faith Mission that it was “
the
obstructive behaviour of all of the Respondents
” that left
the Applicant with no choice but to institute legal action against
all of the Respondents.
[71]
During the hearing of the argument, I enquired from counsel for the
Apostolic Faith Mission
as to whether the Apostolic Faith Mission
should not have sought payment of the rental deposit amount from
Unlocked only, and counsel
responded that the Apostolic Faith Mission
had to seek the repayment of the rental deposit amount from whichever
of the Respondents
held such rental deposit.
[72]
It is clear that the Apostolic Faith Mission contends that it had to
sue all five Respondents,
on the basis that it did not know which of
the Respondents held the rental deposit amount, and it was obliged to
sue such party
that held the rental deposit amount. A secondary
reason appears to be that the Apostolic Faith Mission sued all five
Respondents,
as a result of their obstructive conduct.
[73]
It is clear from the Apostolic Faith Mission’s own allegations
that it was well aware
that Excellerate and Mafadi acted as the
Managing Agents of Arrowhead and Cumulative, and Unlocked,
respectively. It is also clear
from the allegations contained in the
affidavits filed on behalf of the Apostolic Faith Mission that the
Apostolic Faith Mission
was well aware that Excellerate and Mafadi
were only agents of the other three Respondents.
[74]
It is trite that an agent cannot be sued for the conduct or
obligations of its principal,
and in the circumstances of this
particular application, there was no cause of action that the
Applicant could rely on as against
Excellerate and Mafadi.
[75]
Even if the Apostolic Faith Mission was disgruntled by the responses
or the lack of responses
from the Managing Agents, it did not create
a cause of action as against Excellerate or Mafadi.
[76]
Even if either or both Excellerate and Mafadi held the rental deposit
amount in their own
account, the obligation to repay such rental
deposit amount rested on the relevant Lessor, being Arrowhead,
Cumulative or Unlocked,
at various times, and could never have been
the obligation of the Managing Agents.
[77]
In the circumstances, the citation of Excellerate and Mafadi as
Respondents, and the seeking
of relief as against Excellerate and
Mafadi had no legal basis or justification.
[78]
The Apostolic Faith Mission relies on the same contentions for
seeking relief as against
Arrowhead and Cumulative, yet on its own
version, the leased premises were sold and transferred by Arrowhead
to Cumulative on 21
November 2016, and by Cumulative to Unlocked on 6
August 2018.
[79]
The Applicant relies on the Second Lease Agreement concluded between
the Apostolic Faith
Mission and Cumulative for the period from 1
February 2018 to 31 January 2019, and states that in terms of clause
6.1 of such Second
Lease Agreement it was recorded that Cumulative
held the rental deposit amount as paid by the Apostolic Faith Mission
in the amount
of R243 533.07.
[80]
In the premises, the Apostolic Faith Mission clearly had no cause of
action as against
Arrowhead, as from the date of the conclusion of
the Second Lease Agreement, in respect of the repayment of the rental
deposit
amount. The Apostolic Faith Mission knew, as from 26 January
2018 that Arrowhead did not hold the rental deposit amount.
[81]
In addition, it was completely irrelevant in law who “held”
the rental deposit
amount, as once the immovable property was
purchased by Cumulative, any obligation relating to repayment of the
rental deposit
amount became that of Cumulative.
[82]
In the circumstances, the citation and seeking of relief as against
Arrowhead had no legal
basis whatsoever, and was entirely
unjustified.
[83]
The Applicant’s alleged basis for the relief as sought against
Cumulative is also
based on the allegation that the Applicant was
unaware as to which of the parties held the rental deposit amount.
[84]
Once Unlocked purchased the immovable property from Cumulative, and
stepped into the shoes
of Cumulative as Lessor, the obligation to
refund the rental deposit amount (or such portion thereof that may be
owing) rested
with Unlocked, in its capacity as the Lessor.
[85]
It became irrelevant who physically “held” the rental
deposit amount.
[86]
It is an
established principle in South African law, based on the “
huur
gaat voor koop
”
principle that the purchaser of immovable property in respect of
which a lease agreement is in place, steps into the shoes
of the
lessor-seller, and assumes all of the rights and obligations of the
original lessor under the existing lease agreement.
[1]
[87]
In the
matter of
Spearhead
Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd v E&D Motors (Pty) Ltd
[2]
it was stated
[3]
as follows:
“
This much is,
however, settled in our law: successors in title to owners of leased
property are bound to recognise the existence
of the lease and an ex
legae substitution of the purchaser for the lessor-seller takes place
in the lease upon sale of such property.
Thus, the rule relieves the
seller of all rights and obligations flowing from the lease which are
transferred to the buyer on transfer.”
[88]
Ther is accordingly no doubt that as from 6 August 2018 any
obligation to repay any rental
deposit amount to the Apostolic Faith
Mission became that of Unlocked.
[89]
In the circumstances, the seeking of relief as against Cumulative is
also unjustifiable,
and not based on any proper legal basis.
[90]
The alternative relief for a reconciliation, relates to a
reconciliation of the rental
deposit amount, as clearly appears from
paragraph 2 of the Notice of Motion, and similarly any reconciliation
relief that the Apostolic
Faith Mission may be entitled to could only
have been sought from Unlocked.
[91]
In the circumstances, it is clear that the seeking of relief from
Arrowhead, Excellerate,
Cumulative and Mafadi was improper, and was
not based on any existing cause of action that was available to the
Apostolic Faith
Mission.
COSTS
[92]
The Apostolic Faith Mission has sought a punitive costs order as
against all of the Respondents,
on the scale as between attorney and
own client.
[93]
The basis for such costs order is that the Applicant was forced to
launch this Application,
as despite reasonable steps being taken by
it to obtain repayment of the rental deposit amount, the Respondents’
conduct
was unreasonable and unacceptable.
[94]
The Apostolic Faith Mission regarded the information and
documentation provided by the
Respondents and particularly Unlocked,
as being inaccurate and incomplete.
[95]
It is clear that the Apostolic Faith Mission had no option but to
institute legal proceedings
to obtain payment of the rental deposit
due to it.
[96]
As set out above, there was no reason or basis for the Apostolic
Faith Mission to have
launched the Application as against the First,
Second, Third and Fifth Respondents.
[97]
It was pointed out by the Fourth Respondent that the quantum claimed
by the Applicant fell
within the jurisdiction of the Magistrate’s
Court, and that any costs award in favour of the Applicant should be
on the Magistrate’s
Court scale.
[98]
The Applicant contended that it could not claim the rental deposit in
the Magistrate’s
Court as the Respondents resided in a number
of different Magisterial districts.
[99]
The Applicant however erred in citing all five Respondents and ought
properly to have only
claimed from the Fourth Respondent, and it
would then have been able to make use of the appropriate Magistrate’s
Court.
[100]
The First, Second and Third Respondents called upon the Applicant to
withdraw its claim, but it declined
to do so.
[101]
The First, Second and Third Respondents’ counsel submitted that
the Application as against such Respondents
should be dismissed and
that the Applicant should be ordered to pay the costs of the First,
Second and Third Respondents.
[102]
The Fourth Respondent’s counsel submitted that the launching of
the Application was an abuse of process,
and that the Application
should be dismissed, and that the Applicant should pay the costs of
the Fourth Respondent.
[103]
The Fourth Respondent’s counsel also submitted that if the
Applicant was entitled to any costs, it
should only be up until 14
November 2021, when Unlocked had paid the Apostolic Faith Mission in
full, and on the Magistrate’s
Court scale.
THE
ORDER
[104]
I have had regard to all of the submissions made and accordingly make
the following Order:
[104.1]
The Applicant’s claim for a reconciliation and subsequent
payment
of a rental deposit is dismissed;
[104.2]
The Applicant is to pay the costs of the First, Second and Third
Respondents;
[100.3]
The Applicant is to pay the costs of the Fourth Respondent as from
5
November 2020 up to, and including the date of the hearing;
[100.4]
The Fourth Respondent is to pay the Applicant’s costs up to 14
November 2020, on the Magistrate’s Court scale.
G
NEL
[Acting
Judge of the High Court,
Gauteng
Local Division,
Johannesburg]
Date
of Judgment:
16 August 2022
APPEARANCES
For
the
Applicant:
Adv J C Klopper
Instructed
by:
Louis Benn Attorney
For
the First, Second
And
Third Respondents:
Adv R Shepstone
Instructed
by
Richmond Attorneys
For
the Fourth Respondent:
Adv W Pye SC
Instructed
by
Shaie Zindel Attorneys
[1]
Mignoel
Properties (Pty) Ltd v Kneebone
1989
(4) SA 1042
(A) at 1050I to 1051B;
Genna-Wae
Properties (Pty) Ltd v Media-Tronics (Natal) (Pty) Ltd
[1995] ZASCA 42
;
1995 (2) SA 926
(A) at 939A to D.
[2]
2010
(2) SA 1 (SCA).
[3]
At
para [14].
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