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South Africa Judgment

Free State High Court, Bloemfontein

Meeding v Hoer Tegniese Skool Sasolburg (A134/2011) [2012] ZAFSHC 137 (2 August 2012)

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Source document

01

Holding and result

The court found that the application for leave to appeal was based on a fundamental misinterpretation of the dicta and findings in Fishoek Primary School v GW. Upon reconsideration of all arguments, the court was convinced that not only was there no reasonable prospect that another court would reach a different conclusion, but the opposite was true. The applicant remained jointly and severally liable for the school fees, as the divorce order did not absolve her of liability towards the school, which was not a party to the divorce proceedings. The application for leave to appeal was therefore dismissed with costs.

Court disposition

Application for leave to appeal dismissed with costs.

Orders

  • This judgment and the previous appeal judgment must be personally served on the applicant by her attorneys via the sheriff, and proof of service must be submitted to this court without delay.
  • The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

02

Material facts

Parties

M M Meeding

Applicant Counsel: Adv. C. D. Roux

Hoer Tegniese Skool Sasolburg

Respondent Counsel: Adv. P G Leeuwner

Amounts and remedies

  • Original School Fees Claimed: ZAR 3,600

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Leave to Appeal / Application for Leave to Appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal Following Unsuccessful Appeal From Magistrate's Court.

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
The applicant argued, relying heavily on Fishoek Primary School v GW 2010 (2) SA 141 (SCA), that as the mother of the child for whom school fees were claimed, and being divorced from the father who was ordered by the divorce decree to pay the fees, she should not be liable for payment and is exempt. It was further contended that both the High Court and the Magistrate's Court erred in finding joint and several liability for the school fees.
Respondent
The respondent maintained that both the applicant and her former spouse are jointly and severally liable for the school fees, regardless of the divorce order, and that the courts correctly interpreted the law and the relevant precedents. The respondent opposed the application for leave to appeal and sought costs.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    LAW SOCIETY, NORTHERN PROVINCES v MOGAMI 2010 (1) SA 186 (SCA)

    Leave to appeal should only be granted if there is a reasonable prospect that another court may come to a different conclusion.

  2. 02

    FISHOEK PRIMARY SCHOOL v GW 2010 (2) SA 141 (SCA)

    A parent may remain jointly and severally liable for school fees despite a divorce order assigning payment responsibility to the other parent, unless the school is party to the divorce proceedings.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The court found that the application for leave to appeal was based on a fundamental misinterpretation of the dicta and findings in Fishoek Primary School v GW. Upon reconsideration of all arguments, the court was convinced that not only was there no reasonable prospect that another court would reach a different conclusion, but the opposite was true. The applicant remained jointly and severally liable for the school fees, as the divorce order did not absolve her of liability towards the school, which was not a party to the divorce proceedings. The application for leave to appeal was therefore dismissed with costs.

Obiter and limits

  • The applicant, a layperson, may not have been aware of the implications of persisting with litigation, and may have acted on faulty legal advice.
  • The misinterpretation of the Fishoek decision was so clearly erroneous that the advice given to the applicant may have been manifestly incorrect and to her detriment.
  • The applicant should be made aware of both this judgment and the previous appeal judgment to consider her position and take appropriate steps if so advised.

Court disposition

Application for leave to appeal dismissed with costs.

  • This judgment and the previous appeal judgment must be personally served on the applicant by her attorneys via the sheriff, and proof of service must be submitted to this court without delay.
  • The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

Source and reliance status

Free State High Court, Bloemfontein

This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.

Judgment reading view

Judgment text

The complete available source text.

Source document

Free State High Court, Bloemfontein

Judgment

[2012] ZAFSHC 137

VRYSTAATSE HOË HOF, BLOEMFONTEIN

REPUBLIEK VAN SUID-AFRIKA

Appèl Nr. : A134/2011

In die appèl tussen:-

M

M MEEDING ..........................................................................Applikant

en

HoëR

TEGNIESE SKOOL SALSOBURG ............................Respondent

_____________

CORAM: HANCKE, WND RP et JORDAAN, R

AANGEHOOR: IN KAMERS

UITSPRAAK DEUR: JORDAAN, R

GELEWER OP: 2 AUGUSTUS 2012

[1] Die applikant doen aansoek om verlof om te appelleer na die Hoogste Hof van Appèl teen ‘n uitspraak gegee deur hierdie hof op appèl vanaf die Landdroshof.

[2] Na ontvangs van die aansoek is die partye versoek om, ooreenkomstig die dicta vervat in paragraaf 3 van die uitspraak in die saak, LAW SOCIETY, NORTHERN PROVINCES v MOGAMI 2010 (1) 186 (SCA), skriftelike betoogshoofde in te dien sodat die aansoek in kamers besleg kan word en is die partye uitgenooi om, indien hulle daarteen beswaar het, hierdie hof sodanig in kennis te stel. Beide partye het klaarblyklik daarin berus en het skriftelike betoogshoofde geliasseer.

[3] Wat die agtergrondsfeite onderliggende aan die saak betref blyk dit volledig uit die uitspraak deur hierdie hof gelewer in die voormelde appèl en is dit nie nodig om dit weer te herhaal nie.

[4] Die gronde van die huidige aansoek kom in breë ooreen met die gronde waarop gesteun is tydens die appèl. In besonder is baie sterk gesteun op die uitspraak in FISHOEK PRIMARY SCHOOL v GW 2010 (2) SA 141 (SCA) vir die argument dat die huidige applikant as die moeder van die kind ten opsigte waarvan skoolfooie gevorder is, synde geskei van die vader van die betrokke kind en in terme van welke egskeidingsbevel die vader gelas is om skoolfooie te betaal, nie aanspreeklik is vir betaling sodanige fooie nie en daarvan vrygestel is. Dit is ook voorts ge-argumenteer dat hierdie hof sowel as die hof van eerste instansie fouteer het deur te bevind dat die applikant en haar vorige eggenoot gesamentlik en afsonderlik aanspreeklik is vir sodanige skoolfooie.

[5] Ek ag dit nie nodig om weer volledig te handel met elk van die argumente wat tans asook in die hof tydens die appèl ge-argumenteer is nie. Die enigste vraag wat nou ter sprake is, is die vraag of daar ‘n redelike vooruitsig bestaan dat ‘n ander hof tot ‘n ander bevinding sal geraak op enige van voormelde gronde.

[6] Ek is oortuig dat die appèl sowel as hierdie aansoek berus op ‘n totale waninterpretasie van die dicta en bevindinge in laasgemelde beslissing. Na heroorweging van al voormelde argumente is ek nie alleen nie oortuig dat ‘n ander hof nie tot ‘n ander bevinding sal raak nie maar inderdaad tot die teendeel oortuig. In die lig daarvan is daar myns insiens geen vooruitsigte op sukses in ‘n voorgenome verdere appèl nie en moet die aansoek afgewys word met koste.

[7] Wat ontstellend is, is die feit dat die applikant aanvanklik aangespreek was vir betaling van skoolfooie in die bedrag van R3 600,00. Hierdie vordering is deur haar bestry en het uitgeloop op ‘n volle verhoor waarin sy uiteindelik onsuksesvol was. As gevolg van haar onsuksesvolle verdediging van die saak is sy gelas om die koste van die verhoor te betaal. Weens die feit dat daar ge-appèlleer is teen daardie bevel is verdere koste opgeloop en was die appèl weer eens onsuksesvol en die applikante weer eens gelas om die koste van die onsuksesvolle appèl te betaal. Daarna het hierdie aansoek gevolg wat uit die aard van die saak verdere koste teweegbring. Dit is tans onbekend of dit weens die applikante se eie volhardende opposisie tot die eis was dat al hierdie stappe geneem is of, alternatiewelik, sy gehandel het op regsadvies van haar regsverteenwoordiger(s). Indien laasgenoemde die geval is, is ek van mening dat die applikante belas is met die aanspreeklikheid van nie net die skoolfooie nie maar ook die

addisionele koste wat deur die vorige prosesse opgeloop is tot op hede. Myns insiens is die waninterpretasie van die Fishoek-beslissing

sodanig klaarblyklik foutief dat daar redelikerwys ge-argumenteer kan word die advies daarop gebasseer duidelik foutief was tot nadeel van die applikante. Die moontlikheid bestaan derhalwe dat die applikante weens duidelike foutiewe advies tot haar nadeel in die litigasie betrokke geraak het en die verskeie koste bevele teen haar opgeloop het. Die applikante self is klaarblyklik ‘n leek en sou nie noodwendig bewus wees van die implikasies van die voortsetting van hierdie verrigtinge tot op hierdie stadium nie. In die lig daarvan is ek van mening dat die applikante ten minste bewus gemaak word van die uitspraak van hierdie hof gegee op appèl sowel as van híerdie uitspraak ten einde haar posisie te oorweeg en die nodige stappe te neem indien so ge-adviseer.

[8] In die lig van die voormelde is ek van mening dat die volgende bevele verleen behoort te word:

8.1 Hierdie uitspraak sowel as die uitspraak van hierdie Hof gegee op appèl moet deur die prokureurs vir die applikante deur middel van die balju persoonlik op die applikante beteken word en bewys van sodanige betekening moet sonder versuim voorgelê

word aan hierdie agbare hof binne ‘n redelike tyd.

8.2 Die aansoek om verlof om te appèlleer word afgewys met koste.

___

A.F. JORDAAN, R

Ek stem saam.

_______

S. P. B. HANCKE, WND RP

Namens die appellant: Adv. C. D. Roux

In opdrag van:

R C Christie Incorporated Attorney

BLOEMFONTEIN

Namens die respondent: Adv. P G Leeuwner

Naudes

/eb

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

Cases, legislation, regulations, and constitutional provisions identified in the available record.

LAW SOCIETY, NORTHERN PROVINCES v MOGAMI 2010 (1) SA 186 (SCA)

Case cited

FISHOEK PRIMARY SCHOOL v GW 2010 (2) SA 141 (SCA)

Case cited

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