Lonmin Ltd and Others v CG Steyn Inc t/a Steyn Attorneys and Others (M619/16) [2018] ZANWHC 10 (26 April 2018)

Lonmin Ltd and Others v CG Steyn Inc t/a Steyn Attorneys and Others (M619/16) [2018] ZANWHC 10 (26 April 2018)

The application was dismissed due to the applicants' failure to join parties with a direct and substantial interest in the litigation, including the issuing Magistrates or Clerks, affected credit consumers, and relevant industry bodies. The Court found that the applicants' attempts at notification and joinder were legally insufficient and did not comply with the requirements of the law and procedural rules. The abandonment of key prayers by the applicants undermined their locus standi and the substance of their application. The Court held that declaratory relief cannot be granted in the absence of all interested parties, and that the applicants' approach resulted in unnecessary costs and...

Citation
[2018] ZANWHC 10
Parties
Applicant: Lonmin Ltd; Applicant: Anglo American Platinum Ltd; Applicant: The Minister of Finance; Applicant: Q-Link (Pty) Ltd; Respondent: CG Steyn Inc t/a Steyn Attorneys; Respondent: Emerald Dunes Investments 57 CC t/a Woza Cash Advance, Payday Cash Advance; Respondent: Midnight Spark Trading 400 CC; Respondent: West Point Trading 13 BK t/a Bapong Cash Loans; Respondent: Bitline SA 510 CC t/a Loan Tech Financial Services & Cash Card Salary Advice; Respondent: Holographix Properties 512 BK t/a Platinum Cash Advance, Cash Today; Respondent: Greenville Trading 7 BK t/a Platinum Cash Advance, Cash Today; Respondent: D EN AG Fourie BK t/a Cash for Cash 1, Cash for Cash 2, Tlayang Financial Service, City Financial Services, Lethabo Financial Services; Respondent: Eastern Blue Investments 186 BK t/a Fast Cash Financial Services; Respondent: Blue Raindrops Trading 59 CC t/a Ready Cash; Respondent: Eunever Trading t/a Sevco Finance; Respondent: Tuba Finance; Respondent: The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services; Respondent: The Minister of Trade Industry; Respondent: The National Credit Regulator; Respondent: Association for Debt Recovery Agents; Respondent: The Law Society for the Northern Province; Amicus Curiae: The General Council of the Bar; Amicus Curiae: Nedbank
Court
North West High Court, Mafikeng
Jurisdiction
South Africa
Judgment Date
26 April 2018
Case Number
M619/16
Procedural Posture
Civil Application / Judgment After Hearing Preliminary Points
Outcome
Application dismissed with costs due to non-joinder of parties with a direct and substantial interest.
Judges
Kgoele
Legal Topics
Emoluments Attachment Orders, Non Joinder, Collection Costs, National Credit Act, Judicial Oversight, Class Action Requirements

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Parties

Lonmin Ltd

Applicant

Anglo American Platinum Ltd

Applicant

The Minister of Finance

Applicant

Q-Link (Pty) Ltd

Applicant

CG Steyn Inc t/a Steyn Attorneys

Respondent

Emerald Dunes Investments 57 CC t/a Woza Cash Advance, Payday Cash Advance

Respondent

Midnight Spark Trading 400 CC

Respondent

West Point Trading 13 BK t/a Bapong Cash Loans

Respondent

Bitline SA 510 CC t/a Loan Tech Financial Services & Cash Card Salary Advice

Respondent

Holographix Properties 512 BK t/a Platinum Cash Advance, Cash Today

Respondent

Greenville Trading 7 BK t/a Platinum Cash Advance, Cash Today

Respondent

D EN AG Fourie BK t/a Cash for Cash 1, Cash for Cash 2, Tlayang Financial Service, City Financial Services, Lethabo Financial Services

Respondent

Eastern Blue Investments 186 BK t/a Fast Cash Financial Services

Respondent

Blue Raindrops Trading 59 CC t/a Ready Cash

Respondent

Eunever Trading t/a Sevco Finance

Respondent

Tuba Finance

Respondent

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

Respondent

The Minister of Trade Industry

Respondent

The National Credit Regulator

Respondent

Association for Debt Recovery Agents

Respondent

The Law Society for the Northern Province

Respondent

The General Council of the Bar

Amicus Curiae

Nedbank

Amicus Curiae

Procedural Posture

Civil Application / Judgment After Hearing Preliminary Points

  1. 1 Whether the application should be dismissed due to non-joinder of parties with a direct and substantial interest.
  2. 2 Whether the applicants were required to join the issuing Magistrates or Clerks of the Court in proceedings seeking to review or set aside emoluments attachment orders.
  3. 3 Whether credit consumers subject to the emoluments attachment orders should have been joined as parties.

Ratio Decidendi

The application was dismissed due to the applicants' failure to join parties with a direct and substantial interest in the litigation, including the issuing Magistrates or Clerks, affected credit consumers, and relevant industry bodies. The Court found that the applicants' attempts at notification and joinder were legally insufficient and did not comply with the requirements of the law and procedural rules. The abandonment of key prayers by the applicants undermined their locus standi and the substance of their application. The Court held that declaratory relief cannot be granted in the absence of all interested parties, and that the applicants' approach resulted in unnecessary costs and...

Court Disposition

Application dismissed with costs due to non-joinder of parties with a direct and substantial interest.

Orders

  • The application is dismissed with costs due to non-joinder of parties with a direct and substantial interest and/or vital interest in the litigation and possible result.
  • The first, second, and fourth applicants are ordered to pay the costs jointly and/or severally on an attorney and client scale, including costs reserved previously and those consequent upon the employment of two counsel where applicable.