Malunga v Lesotho Brewing Company (Pty) Limited and Another; Lesotho Brewing Company (Pty) Limited v Malunga and Others (CIV/APN 45) [1996] LSHC 88 (10 September 1996)

C I V / A P N / 4 5 / 95 IN T HE H I GH C O U RT OF L E S O T HO In t he m a t t er b e t w e en P I T SO M A K H O ZA M A L U N GA A p p l i c a nt a nd L E S O T HO B R E W I NG C O M P A NY ( P T Y) L I M I T ED F i r st R e s p o n d e nt T HE A T T O R N E Y - G E N E R AL S e c o nd R e s p o n d e nt In t he m a t t er b e t w e en C I V / A P N / 7 5 / 96 L E S O T HO B R E W I NG C O M P A NY ( P T Y) L I M I T ED A p p l i c a nt a nd P I T SO M A K H O ZA M A L U N GA S E N I OR R E S I D E NT M A G I S T R A TE T HE A T T O R N E Y - G E N E R AL F i r st R e s p o n d e nt S e c o nd R e s p o n d e nt T h i rd R e s p o n d e nt R E A S O NS F OR J U D G M E NT D e l i v e r ed by t he H o n o u r a b le M r. J u s t i ce M . M. R a m o d i b e d i, A c t i ng J u d g e, on 1 0 th d ay of S e p t e m b e r, 1 9 9 6. In b o th t he a b o ve m e n t i o n ed a p p l i c a t i o ns P i t so M a k h o za M a l u n ga ( h e r e i n a f t er r e f e r r ed to as t he A p p l i c a n t) a p p l i ed f or p o s t p o n e m e nt on 9 th S e p t e m b er 1 9 9 6. A f t er h e a r i ng s u b m i s s i o ns f r om b o th s i d es I d u ly g r a n t ed t he p o s t p o n e m e nt a l b e it r e l u c t a n t l y. I o r d e r ed t he A p p l i c a nt to p ay all t he w a s t ed c o s ts of L e s o t ho B r e w i ng C o m p a ny ( P t y) L i m i t ed 2 / . .. - 2- ( h e r e i n a f t er r e f e r r ed to as t he R e s p o n d e n t) o c c a s i o n ed by t he R e s p o n d e nt on a t t o r n ey and c l i e nt s c a le in e a ch of t he a b o ve m e n t i o n ed a p p l i c a t i o n s. I i n t i m a t ed t h at r e a s o ns w o u ld f o l l ow t o d a y. T h e se a re t he r e a s o n s. In o r d er to u n d e r s t a nd t he full c i r c u m s t a n c es and m o t i v es b e h i nd t he a p p l i c a t i o ns b e f o re me f or p o s t p o n e m e nt of t he a b o ve m e n t i o n ed a p p l i c a t i o ns it is n e c e s s a ry to r e c o u nt b r i e f ly C I V / T / 4 3 6 / 90 w h i ch h as a l so b e en s et d o wn f or h e a r i ng b e f o re me f r om t he 9th S e p t e m b er 1 9 96 to t he 13th S e p t e m b er 1 9 9 6. T he A p p l i c a nt f e a t u r es as t he D e f e n d a nt in t h at c a s e. It appears that in the said case No. CIV/T/436/90 the Respondent's subsidiary company Lesotho Liquor Distributors (Pty) Ltd. s u ed t he A p p l i c a nt f or g o o ds s o ld and d e l i v e r ed b e t w e en t he 2 1 st N o v e m b e r, 1 9 86 and 3 0 th J u n e, 1 9 8 9. T he s u m m o ns w as i s s u ed on 11th O c t o b e r, 1 9 9 0. W h at t h en f o l l o w ed is b e st s u m m ed up by t he C o u rt of A p p e al in t he a p p e al t h e r e of in P i t so P h a k i si M a k h o za v L e s o t ho L i q u or D i s t r i b u t o rs C of A ( C i v) N o. 34 of 1 9 95 ( u n r e p o r t e d) in w h i ch B r o w de JA d e l i v e r i ng t he j u d g m e nt of t he C o u rt had t h is to s a y :- "It is a sad commentary on the way in which the suit has been conducted that the matter has not yet come to trial and this appeal 3/... - 3- is c o n c e r n ed w i th t e c h n i c a l i t i es r e l a t i ng to a m e n d m e n t s, p o r t i o ns f or t r i a l, d i s- c o v e ry and a w a r ds of c o s ts in t he c o u rt a q u o ." T he L e a r n ed J u d ge of A p p e al w e nt t h r o u gh a r e s u me of t he p r o c e e d i n gs t h us f ar and s t a t ed in p a r t: "I p a u se to say t h at o ne w o u ld h a ve t h o u g ht t h at t he p l e a d i n gs w e re t h en s u f f i c i e n t ly d e t a i l ed to e n a b le t he p a r t i es to a ir t h e ir d i f f e r e n c es in c o u r t. T h at w as in F e b r u a ry 1 9 92 a n d, it is q u i te a p p a l l i ng t h at t e c h n i- c a l i t i es c o u ld be e x p l o i t ed f or t he n e xt f o ur y e a rs t h us a v o i d i ng t he t r i al c o u r t 's p r o n o u n c e m e nt on t he m e r i ts to t h is d a y ." T he L e a r n ed J u d ge of A p p e al c o n t i n u es on p a ge 3 of t he j u d g m e n t: " T he t r i al w as s et d o wn to be h e a rd on 23 A u g u st and t en d a ys t h e r e a f t e r. H o w e v er f or r e a s o ns w h i ch do n ot a p p e ar f r om t he r e c o rd t he m a t t er w as r e m o v ed f r om t he roll and set d o wn a g a in a n u m b er of t i m es u n t i l, on 10 F e b r u a ry 1 9 9 5, it w as set d o wn f or t r i al o v er t he p e r i od 1 to 19 M ay 1 9 9 5. T h e re c an of c o u r se be no d o u bt t h at t he a p p e l l a nt by t h at t i me had had m o re t h an s u f f i c i e nt t i me in w h i ch to do all t he r e s e a r ch he n e e d ed to say e x a c t ly w h at he a d m i t t ed and w h at he d e n i ed r e c e i v i ng and p a y i ng f or d u r i ng t he p e r i od c o v e r ed by t he c l a im w h i ch w a s, as r e f e r r ed to a b o v e, 1 9 86 to 1 9 8 9 ." L a t er in t he j u d g m e nt t he L e a r n ed J u d ge of A p p e al o b s e r v e s :- 4 / . .. - 4- " T he m a t t er d id n ot p r o c e ed on 1 a nd 2 M ay 1 9 95 b e c a u se t h o se d a ys w e re p u b l ic h o l i d a ys a nd on 3 M ay 1 9 95 t he a p p e l l a nt d id i n d e ed s e ek an a d j o u r n m e nt to o b t a in t he s e r v i c es of c o u n s el a nd to a c c o m m o d a te t he a p p e l l a n t, it w as a g r e ed to c o m m e n ce t he t r i al on 9 M ay 1 9 9 5 ." In d i s m i s s i ng t he a p p e l l a n t 's a p p e al on t e c h n i c a l i t i es as a f o r e s a id t he L e a r n ed J u d ge of A p p e al c o n c l u d ed w i th t he f o l l o w i ng r e a s o ns w h i ch I c o n s i d er to s e r ve as a g u i de in t he m a t t e r :- "I w o u ld r e c o m m e nd to t he R e g i s t r ar t h at t he t r i al in t h is m a t t er be g i v en p r e f e r e n ce on t he t r i al r o ll in an e f f o rt to a v o id a ny f u r t h er d e l a y i ng t a c t i cs w h i ch t he a p p e l l a nt m ay h a ve in m i n d ." It w as a g a i n st t he a b o ve m e n t i o n ed b a c k g r o u nd t h at w h en t he a b o ve m e n t i o n ed a p p l i c a t i o ns w e re d ue to p r o c e ed b e f o re me on 9 th S e p t e m b er 1 9 96 w h i ch i n c i d e n t a l ly w as t he s a me t r i al d a te as t he a f o r e s a id C I V / T / 4 3 6 / 90 M r. R e d e l i n g h u ys f or t he A p p l i c a nt a p p l i ed f or p o s t p o n e m e nt on t he g r o u nd t h at h is c l i e nt w i s h ed to e n g a ge t he s e r v i c es of a n o t h er l e g al r e p r e s e n t a t i ve n a m e ly M r. P h a f a ne as f ar as t he t wo a p p l i c a- t i o ns w e re c o n c e r n e d. M r. R e d e l i n g h u ys m a de it c l e ar t h at h is s e r v i c es w e re b e i ng r e t a i n ed in so f ar as t he m a in t r i al C I V / T / 4 3 6 / 90 w as c o n c e r n e d. I p a u se h e re to o b s e r ve t h at t he a f o r e s a id a p p l i c a t i o ns a re i n d e ed v e ry s h o rt a nd s i m p le a p p l i c a t i o ns d e a l i ng w i th c o n t e m pt of c o u rt a nd r e s c i s s i on of d e f a u lt j u d g m e nt r e s p e c t i- v e l y. On t he o t h er h a nd C I V / T / 4 3 6 / 90 is m o re c o m p l i c a t ed 5 / . .. - 5- and i n v o l v es a h u ge sum of M 3 8 8 , 5 5 7 - 5 8. No r e a s o ns w e re a d v a n c ed w hy M r. R e d e l i n g h u ys w ho is a v e ry e x p e r i e n c ed a t t o r n ey w o u ld be g o od e n o u gh f or t he m o re c o m p l i c a t ed and u n d o u b t e d ly b i g g er c a se and n ot g o od e n o u gh f or t he s h o rt and s i m p le a p p l i c a t i o ns b e f o re m e. T he c o u rt w as l e ft w i th t he i m p r e s s i on t h at t h is w as a d e l a y i ng t a c t ic by t he A p p l i c a n t. In f a ct M r. R e d e l i n g h u ys a r g u ed t h at C i v / T / 4 3 6 / 90 s h o u ld n ot be p r o c e e d ed w i th b e f o re t he R e s p o n d e nt h ad p u r g ed h is a l l e g ed c o n t e m pt in C I V / A P N / 4 5 / 9 5. It s e e ms to me t h e r e f o re t h at t he A p p l i c a nt o b v i o u s ly h o p ed t h at if C I V / A P N / 4 5 / 95 w as p o s t p o n ed t h en C I V / T / 4 3 6 / 90 w o u ld a l so be a u t o m a t i c a l ly p o s t p o n e d. T he C o u rt h o w e v er g a ve M r. R e d e l i n g h u ys 20 m i n u t es w i t h in w h i ch to c o n t a ct M r. P h a f a ne and a r r a n ge f or h is p r e s e n ce b e f o re t he c o u rt as he w as r e p o r t ed to be in o ne of t he c o u rt r o o ms of t h is H o n o u r a b le C o u rt a w a i t i ng h is t u rn to m o ve a b a il a p p l i c a t i o n. At t he end of t he 20 m i n u t es a d j n o u r n m e nt M r. R e d e l i n g h u ys t h en i n f o r m ed t he c o u rt t h at he had e x p l a i n ed t he p o s i t i on to M r. P h a f a ne a d d i ng " u n f o r t u n a t e ly it d o e s n 't s e em t h at he is h e r e ." M r. R e d e l i n g h u ys t h en a s k ed f or " f u r t h er i n d u l g e n c e" to h a ve t he m a t t er a d j o u r n ed f u r t h e r. C o n s e q u e n t ly t he m a t t er w as s t o od d o wn f or a f u r t h er 20 m i n u t e s. It w as t h en t h at M r. P h a f a ne a p p e a r ed in c o u rt and p r o m p t ly p r o c e e d ed to m a ke an a p p l i c a t i on f or p o s t p o n e m e n ts of t he t wo a p p l i c a t i o ns on t he g r o u nd t h at h is i n s t r u c t i o ns w e re i n c o m p l e te and t h at he w as o n ly a p p r o a c h ed by t he A p p l i c a nt to r e p r e s e nt h im in t he 6/... - 6- t wo a p p l i c a t i o ns on F r i d ay t he 6 th S e p t e m b e r, 1 9 9 6. C o n s e q u e n t ly he w as n ot p r e p a r ed to a r g ue t he a p p l i c a t i o n s. A l t h o u gh M r. F i s h er f or t he R e s p o n d e nt i n i t i a l ly o p p o s ed t he a p p l i c a t i on f or p o s t p o n e m e nt he u l t i m a t e ly b a c k ed d o wn in v i ew of M r. P h a f a n e 's n o n e - p r e p a r e d n e ss b ut i n s i s t ed t h at t he A p p l i c a nt m u st be o r d e r ed to p ay c o s ts on a t t o r n ey a nd c l i e nt s c a le in as m u ch as t he A p p l i c a nt w as c l e a r ly a b u s i ng t he c o u r t 's p r o c e ss a nd i n d u l g e n c e. He s u b m i t t ed t h at t he A p p l i c a nt w as m a la f i de a nd t h at t he n o t i ce of s et d o wn w as f i l ed on 3 rd J u ne 1 9 96 w h en A p p l i- c a nt k n ew f u l ly w e ll t h at t h e se a p p l i c a t i o ns w o u ld p r o c e ed on 9 th S e p t e m b er 1 9 96 y et he d id n o t h i ng u n t il t he v e ry l a st d a y. I f i nd t h at t h e re is m e r it in M r. F i s h e r 's s u b- m i s s i o n. As to t he l aw M r. F i s h er r e f e r r ed t he c o u rt to t he c a se of M y b u r gh T r a n s p o rt v B o t ha t /a S . A. T r u ck B o d i es 1 9 91 S . A. 3 1 0. It is a N a m i b ia S u p r e me C o u rt c a se in w h i ch M o h a m ed AJA ( as he t h en w a s) s u c c i n c t ly s t a t ed t he l e g al p r i n c i p l es a p p l i c a b le in an a p p l i c a t i on f or p o s t p o n e m e n t. I am m a i n ly a t t r a c t ed by t h r ee of t he s a id p r i n c i p l es w h i ch t he l e a r n ed J u d ge of A p p e al s t a t ed as f o l l o w s: " 1. T he t r i al j u d ge h as a d i s c r e t i on as to w h e t h er an a p p l i c a t i on f or a p o s t p o n e m e nt s h o u ld be g r a n t ed or r e f u s ed (R v Z a c k ey 1 9 45 A . D. 5 0 5 ). 7 / . .. - 7- 2. T h at d i s c r e t i on m u st be e x e r c i s ed j u d i c i a l l y. It s h o u ld n ot be e x e r c i s ed c a p r i c i o u s ly or u p on a ny w r o ng p r i n c i p l e, b ut f or s u b s t a n t i al r e a s o n s ." a nd " w h e re t he a p p l i c a nt f or a p o s t p o n e m e nt h as n ot m a de h is a p p l i c a t i on t i m e o u s l y, or is o t h e r w i se to b l a me w i th r e s p e ct to t he p r o c e d u re w h i ch he h as f o l l o w e d, b ut j u s t i ce n e v e r t h e l e ss j u s t i f i es a p o s t p o n e m e nt in t he p a r t i c u l ar c i r c u m s t a n c es of a c a s e, t he c o u rt in its d i s c r e t i on m i g ht a l l ow t he p o s t p o n e m e nt b ut d i r e ct t he a p p l i c a nt in a s u i t a b le c a se to p ay t he w a s t ed c o s ts of t he r e s p o n d e nt o c c a s i o n ed to s u ch a r e s p o n d e nt on t he s c a le of a t t o r n ey a nd c l i e n t. S u ch a p p l i c a nt m i g ht e v en be d i r e c t ed to p ay t he c o s ts of h is a d v e r s a ry b e f o re he is a l l o w ed to p r o c e ed w i th h is a c t i on or d e f e n ce in t he a c t i o n, as t he c a se m ay b e ." W i th r e s p e ct I e n t i r e ly a g r ee w i th t he l e g al p r i n c i p l es e n u n c i a t ed by t he l e a r n ed J u d ge of A p p e al a nd 1 a d o pt t he s a id p r i n c i p l es in t he m a t t er b e f o re m e. A p p l y i ng t h e se p r i n c i p l es to t he p r e s e nt a p p l i c a t i on b e f o re me I h a ve c o me to t he c o n c l u s i on t h at f u n d a m e n t al j u s t i ce r e q u i r es t h at t h e re s h o u ld be p o s t p o n e m e nt as p r a y ed to e n a b le A p p l i c a nt to p r e s e nt h is c a se in a r e a s o n a b ly f a ir m a n n e r. R e g a r d i ng c o s ts on a t t o r n ey a nd c l i e nt s c a le I h a ve t a k en i n to a c c o u nt t he f o l l o w i ng f a c t o r s: ( a) t he f a ct t h at t he a p p l i c a t i on f or p o s t- p o n e m e nt w as n ot t i m e o u s ly m a de b ut 8 / . .. - 8- i n e x c u s a b ly m a de at t he e l e v e n th h o ur w i t h o ut p r i or w a r n i ng to all c o n c e r n ed w i th t he r e s u l t a nt i n c o n v e n i e n ce to t he C o u rt a nd t he R e s p o n d e n t. T he c o u rt w as t r e a t ed in a c a v a l i er f a s h i on a nd t h at t h is a l o ne is in my v i ew s u f f i c i e nt to a w a rd c o s ts on a t t o r n ey a nd c l i e nt s c a le to m a rk t he c o u r t 's d i s p l e a s u re or its d i s a p p r o v al of t he c o n d u ct of t he A p p l i c a n t; ( b) t h at t h is w as n ot e v en a s u b s t a n t i ve a p p l i c a t i on m a de on n o t i c e; ( c) t h at t he a p p l i c a n t 's w h o le c o n d u ct a m o u n t ed to d e l a y i ng t a c t i cs in t he v i ew of t he c o u rt p a r t i c u l a r ly as t h e re w as a b s o l u t e ly no r e a s on s u g g e s t ed w hy M r. R e d e l i n g h u ys c o u ld n ot a r g ue t he a p p l i c a t i o ns h i m s e l f; ( d) t h at c o n s e q u e n t ly t he a p p l i c a t i on f or p o s t p o n e m e nt w as n ot b o na f i d e; ( e) t h at a p p l i c a nt s h o u ld h a ve k n o wn b e t t er in as m u ch as t he h i g h e st c o u rt in t he c o u n t ry n a m e ly t he C o u rt of A p p e al c o m m e n t ed a d v e r s e ly on a p p l i c a n t 's p r e v i o us c o n d u ct of t he s a me n a t u re a m o u n t i ng to d e l a y i ng t a c t i cs in a c a se i n v o l v i ng a l m o st t he s a me p a r t i es P i t so P h a k i si M a k h o za v L e s o t ho L i q u or D i s t r i b u t o rs ( s u p r a) in w h i ch B r o w de JA s a id of t he A p p l i c a nt at p 4 :- "It is quite inexplicable why the Appellant should have come to court without Counsel and then, after having had three years in which to consider the case, should have, at the doors of the court so to speak, then have sought to amend his plea on two separate occasions." 9 / . .. - 9- It s e e ms to me t h at t he A p p l i c a nt h as r e p e a t ed t he s a me d e p l o r a b le t a c t ic h e r e. In t he r e s u lt t h e r e f o re I h a ve r e l u c t a n t ly c o me to t he c o n c l u s i on t h at t he a p p l i c a t i on f or p o s t p o n e m e nt in b o th a p p l i c a t i o ns be g r a n t ed w i th t he f o l l o w i ng a p p r o p r i a te o r d er as to c o s ts w h i ch I d e em to be j u st in t he c i r c u m s t a n c es of t he c a s e. T he o r d er of t he c o u rt t h e r e f o re is as f o l l o w s: ( a) t h at t he c o n t e m pt a p p l i c a t i on C I V / A P N / 4 5 / 95 be p o s t p o n ed s i ne d i e; ( b) t h at t he a p p l i c a nt in c o n t e m pt a p p l i c a t i on C I V / A P N / 4 5 / 95 p ay all t he w a s t ed c o s ts of t he R e s p o n d e nt o c c a s s i o n ed by t he p o s t- p o n e m e n t, on a t t o r n ey a nd c l i e nt s c a l e; ( c) t h at A p p l i c a nt s h a ll be p r e c l u d ed f r om p u r s u i ng h is c l a im in t he s a id c o n t e m pt a p p l i c a t i on C I V / A P N / 4 5 / 95 u n t il a nd u n l e ss he h as p a id t he c o s ts of t he R e s p o n d e nt r e f e r r ed to in p a r a, ( b) a b o v e; ( d) t h at r e s c i s s i on a p p l i c a t i on C I V / A P N / 7 5 / 96 be p o s t p o n ed to 2 9 th N o v e m b e r, 1 9 9 6; a nd t he R u le e x t e n d ed a c c o r d i n g l y; ( e) t h at t he A p p l i c a nt p ay all t he w a s t ed c o s ts of t he R e s p o n d e nt in C I V / A P N / 7 5 / 96 o c c a s- s i o n ed by t he p o s t p o n e m e n t, on a t t o r n ey a nd c l i e nt s c a l e. M . M. R A M O D I B E DI A C T I NG J U D GE For Applicant in CIV/APN/45/95: Adv. Phafane For Respondent in CIV/APN/45/95: Mr. Fisher For Applicant in CIV/APN/75/96 : Mr. Fisher For Respondent in CIV/APN/75/96: Adv. Phafane