Value Cement v Aldes Business Brokers Franchise and Others (29689/2012) [2014] ZAGPPHC 151 (4 April 2014)

Value Cement v Aldes Business Brokers Franchise and Others (29689/2012) [2014] ZAGPPHC 151 (4 April 2014)

The court found that the plaintiff's particulars of claim, when read as a whole, clearly set out the cause of action against the third defendant based on an acknowledgement of liability and undertaking to pay commission. The excipient failed to demonstrate that the pleading was vague and embarrassing to the extent...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2014] ZAGPPHC 151
Parties
Defendant: Value Cement; Plaintiff: Aldes Business Brokers Franchise; Defendant: Axal Properties 2 CC; Defendant: Eckraal Quaries (Pty) Ltd
Court
North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria
Jurisdiction
South Africa
Judgment Date
4 April 2014
Case Number
29689/2012
Procedural Posture
Exception Application / Exception to Particulars of Claim Under Rule 23(1)
Outcome
Exception dismissed with costs.
Judges
Maseti
Legal Topics
Exception Procedure, Vague and Embarrassing Pleading, Estate Agent Commission, Acknowledgement of Debt
Civil Procedure Commercial and Corporate Exception Procedure Vague and Embarrassing Pleading Estate Agent Commission Acknowledgement of Debt

Source-derived case record

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Value Cement

Defendant

Aldes Business Brokers Franchise

Plaintiff

Axal Properties 2 CC

Defendant

Eckraal Quaries (Pty) Ltd

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Exception Application / Exception to Particulars of Claim Under Rule 23(1)

  1. 1 Whether the plaintiff's particulars of claim are vague and embarrassing and lack averments necessary to sustain a cause of action.
  2. 2 Whether the exception should be upheld based on the alleged vagueness and embarrassment.

Ratio Decidendi

The court found that the plaintiff's particulars of claim, when read as a whole, clearly set out the cause of action against the third defendant based on an acknowledgement of liability and undertaking to pay commission. The excipient failed to demonstrate that the pleading was vague and embarrassing to the extent that it caused serious prejudice. The exception was directed at specific annexures rather than the entire cause of action, which is contrary to established principles. The court held that the excipient did not meet the onus required to succeed in the exception, and that the particulars of claim were sufficiently clear to enable the third defendant to plead. Accordingly, the...

Court Disposition

Exception dismissed with costs.

Orders

  • The exception is dismissed with costs.