High Court of South Africa Eastern Cape, Mthatha - 2022 July

5 judgments
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5 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
July 2022
Lease terminated; unlawful occupier evicted after PIE-compliant notice; claimed improvement lien inadequately proven.
Eviction under PIE – holding over/expiry of lease – one month’s notice sufficient; service of s4(2) notice effective despite delivery to domestic worker if occupier received and participated; ius retentionis (improvement lien) must be adequately pleaded and proved; absence of municipal relocation report not fatal where occupier is not destitute; organ of state entitled to regain control of immovable assets.
26 July 2022
Court orders extensive discovery under Rule 35(13) to examine former executor’s estate accounts and records.
Rule 35(13) — discovery in motion proceedings; exceptional circumstances where discovery may be directed; executor’s duty of uberrimae fides and obligation to account; relevance of liquidation and distribution accounts, bank statements, company documents and sale agreements; Master’s report not a substitute for discovery from a litigant.
26 July 2022
The applicant failed to prove valid acceptance of the permanent offer; leave to appeal denied under s17 'would differ' standard.
Employment law — contract formation — offer and acceptance — fixed‑term to permanent transition; requirement of written acceptance and proper delivery (annexure D6); post‑lapse indulgence and discretionary payments do not necessarily create contract; evaluation of evidence per Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery; leave to appeal threshold raised by s 17 Superior Courts Act — applicant must show another court would differ (Mont Chevaux).
26 July 2022
An unrepresented accused must be properly advised of counsel and adequately questioned under s112 or conviction will be set aside.
Criminal procedure – unrepresented accused – duty to explain right to legal representation and legal aid; Section 112(1)(b) – adequacy of questioning and requirement to cover essential elements; Section 113 – entering plea of not guilty when accused’s answers suggest defence; Contempt/contravention of protection order – necessity to prove unlawfulness and mens rea; Proof and service of protection orders; Delay in review and bail considerations.
26 July 2022
Accused convicted of robbery, three murders and firearm possession based on eyewitness ID and ballistic links; conspiracy and attempted murder failed.
* Criminal law – identification evidence – need for caution; assessing credibility and contemporaneous reporting. * Ballistics and chain of custody – firearm recovered from accused ballistically linked to cartridges at crime scene and earlier escape incident. * Unlawful possession of firearm – proven where firearm found on accused and linked to killings. * Conspiracy and premeditation – insufficient evidence; conspiracy merges with proved robbery and therefore falls away. * Attempted murder – conviction not supported where no evidence shots were fired at alleged victim.
19 July 2022