Gouda Boerdery BK v Transnet

JurisdictionSouth Africa
Citation2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA)

Gouda Boerdery BK v Transnet
2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA)

2005 (5) SA p490


Citation

2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA)

Case No

314/03

Court

Supreme Court of Appeal

Judge

Scott JA, Navsa JA, Conradie JA, Cloete JA and Erasmus AJA

Heard

August 31, 2004

Judgment

September 27, 2004

Counsel

J C Swanepoel for the appellant.
M Wragge for the respondent.

Flynote : Sleutelwoorde E

Delict — Wrongfulness — Omissions — Legal duty — In case of alleged omission, enquiry into F wrongfulness entailing determination of existence or otherwise of legal duty owed by defendant to plaintiff to act without negligence, ie, to avoid negligently causing plaintiff harm — This being matter for judicial judgment, involving criteria of reasonableness, policy and, where appropriate, constitutional norms.

Delict — Wrongfulness — Determination of — Distinction between wrongfulness and G negligence — Enquiry as to wrongfulness being conceptually anterior to enquiry as to negligence — However, where dual enquiry into wrongfulness and negligence called for, it sometimes being convenient to assume existence of legal duty and to consider issue of negligence first — Sometimes also convenient, when issue of wrongfulness considered first, to assume existence of negligence for H that purpose, whereupon, if existence of legal duty established and enquiry proceeds to issue of negligence, question of foreseeability already determined.

Fire — Veld and forest fire — Action for damages arising from — Presumption of negligence — National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 of 1998, s 34(1) — Presumption triggered by 'veldfire' I starting on or spreading from defendant's land — Presumption not triggered by fire which is not 'veldfire' when it starts on or spreads from defendant's land, but only becomes 'veldfire' at later stage.

Fire — Veld and forest fire — Meaning of 'veldfire' — National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 of 1998 — 'Veldfire' being fire burning on 'veld' — Meaning J

2005 (5) SA p491

of 'veld' — Uncultivated and unoccupied portion of land, as distinct from portion which is A cultivated, occupied and built upon — Land within railway reserve (20 m wide, fenced strip on either side of railway line) not being 'veld' — Fire starting on or spreading from railway reserve therefore not being 'veldfire' — Presumption of negligence in s 34(1) of Act not triggered by such fire. B

Headnote : Kopnota

It is now well established that wrongfulness is a requirement for liability under the modern Aquilian action. Negligent conduct giving rise to loss, unless also wrongful, is therefore not actionable. But the issue of wrongfulness is more often than not uncontentious as the plaintiff's action will be founded upon conduct which, if held to be culpable, would be prima facie wrongful. Typically this is C so where the negligent conduct takes the form of a positive act which causes physical harm. Where the element of wrongfulness gains importance is in relation to liability for omissions and pure economic loss. The inquiry into wrongfulness will then involve a determination of the existence or otherwise of a legal duty owed by the defendant to the plaintiff to act without negligence: in other words, to avoid negligently causing the plaintiff harm. This will be a matter for D judicial judgment involving criteria of reasonableness, policy and, where appropriate, constitutional norms. If the legal duty is found to have existed, the next enquiry will be whether the defendant was negligent. (Paragraph [12] at 498G - 499B.)

While conceptually the enquiry as to wrongfulness might be anterior to the enquiry as to negligence, it is equally so that without negligence the issue of wrongfulness does not arise, for conduct will not be E wrongful if there is no negligence. Depending on the circumstances, therefore, it may be convenient to assume the existence of a legal duty and consider first the issue of negligence. It may also be convenient for that matter, when the issue of wrongfulness is considered first, to assume for that purpose the existence of negligence. The courts have in the past sometimes determined the issue of foreseeability as part of F the inquiry into wrongfulness and, after finding that there was a legal duty to act reasonably, proceeded to determine the second leg of the negligence inquiry, the first (being foreseeability) having already been decided. If this approach is adopted, it is important not to overlook the distinction between negligence and wrongfulness. (Paragraph [12] at 499B/C - E.) G

Section 34(1) of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 of 1998 (the Act) provides that '(i)f a person who brings civil proceedings proves that he or she suffered loss from a veldfire which (a) the defendant caused; or (b) started on or spread from land owned by the defendant, the defendant is presumed to have been negligent in relation to the veldfire until the contrary is proved, unless the defendant is a member of a fire protection association H in the area where the fire occurred'. As far as the situation contemplated in (b) is concerned, an ordinary reading of the section indicates that what is required is that the fire that starts on or spreads from the defendant's property must at that stage be a 'veldfire' and not some other kind of fire. In other words, the presumption does not operate if the fire that starts on, or spreads from, a defendant's property is not a veldfire on the defendant's property, but becomes one at a later stage. (Paragraph [5] at 495E - G.) I

For the purposes of the Act, the ordinary grammatical meaning of 'veldfire' must be determined with reference to the word 'veld'. That term conveys the idea of an area covered with grass or veld grass of considerable extent, and in its original, rough state. It is the uncultivated and unoccupied portion of land, as distinct from the portion which is cultivated, occupied and built upon. J

2005 (5) SA p492

The land within a railway reserve, being a relatively narrow (20 m wide) fenced strip A along a railway line, does not constitute 'veld'. One of its purposes is to accommodate equipment that may be offloaded when necessary to effect repairs, whether to the rails themselves or other structures, including the bed on which the rails are laid, and to afford workers some space within which to operate. Although, therefore, the vegetation growing in the reserve may be similar to that found in veld, the B reserve differs from the ordinary meaning of veld both in relation to shape and use. It is in reality a strip of land with an industrial use. In the result, a fire which starts within a railway reserve is not a 'veldfire', and the presumption contained in s 34(1) of the Act is not triggered when such a fire spreads to adjacent land. (Paragraphs [7], [8], [9] and [11] at 496C - 497F and 498A - G, paraphrased.) C

Cases Considered

Annotations

Reported cases

Administrateur, Natal v Trust Bank van Afrika Bpk 1979 (3) SA 824 (A): applied D

Cape Metropolitan Council v Graham 2001 (1) SA 1197 (SCA) ([2001] 1 All SA 215): applied

Cape Town Municipality v Bakkerud 2000 (3) SA 1049 (SCA) ([2000] 3 All SA 171): applied

Indac Electronics (Pty) Ltd v Volkskas Bank Ltd 1992 (1) SA 783 (A): applied

Kruger v Coetzee 1966 (2) SA 428 (A): applied E

Minister of Law and Order v Kadir 1995 (1) SA 303 (A): applied

Minister of Safety and Security v Van Duivenboden 2002 (6) SA 431 (SCA) ([2002] 3 All SA 741): applied

Minister van Polisie v Ewels 1975 (3) SA 590 (A): applied

Mkhatswa v Minister of Defence 2000 (1) SA 1104 (SCA) ([2000] 1 All SA 188): dictum in para [18] applied F

Mostert v Cape Town City Council 2001 (1) SA 105 (SCA) ([2000] 4 All SA 379): dictum in para [43] applied

Ngubane v South African Transport Services 1991 (1) SA 756 (A): applied

Quathlamba (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Forestry 1972 (2) SA 783 (N): referred to

Sea Harvest Corporation (Pty) Ltd and Another v Duncan Dock Cold Storage (Pty) Ltd and Another 2000 (1) SA 827 G (SCA) ([2000] 1 All SA 128): dicta in paras [19] & [20] applied

S M Goldstein & Co (Pty) Ltd v Cathkin Park Hotel (Pty) Ltd and Another 2000 (4) SA 1019 (SCA) ([2000] 4 All SA 407): dictum in para [7] applied

Steenberg v De Kaap Timber (Pty) Ltd 1992 (2) SA 169 (A): referred to H

Van Wyk v Hermanus Municipality 1963 (4) SA 285 (C): applied

West Rand Estates Ltd v New Zealand Insurance Co Ltd 1925 AD 245: applied.

Statutes Considered

Statutes

The National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 of 1998, ss 1, 12(1), 34: see Juta's Statutes of South Africa I 2004/5 vol 6 at 1-320, 1-324, 1-328.

Case Information

Appeal from a decision in the Cape Provincial Division (Jamie AJ). The facts appear from the judgment of Scott JA.

J C Swanepoel for the appellant.

M Wragge for the respondent. J

2005 (5) SA p493

In addition to the authorities cited in the judgment of the Court, counsel for the parties referred to the following: A

Administrateur, Transvaal v Van der Merwe 1994 (4) SA 347 (A) at 361G - H, 361H - 362B

De Jongh v Industrial Merchandising Co (Pty) Ltd 1972 (4) SA 44 (R)

Ex parte Minister of Justice: In re R v Bolon 1941 AD 345 at 360 B

Fundstrust (Pty) Ltd (in Liquidation) v Van Deventer 1997 (1) SA 710 (A) at 732B - D

Herschelle v Mrupe 1954 (3) SA 464 (A)

King v Dykes 1971 (3) SA 540 (RA) at 542C - G, 545D - E and 546E - 547B

McMurray v H L & H (Pty) Ltd 2000 (4) SA 887 (N) C

Minister of Forestry v Quathlamba (Pty) Ltd 1973 (3) SA 69 (A) at 82A - 84A

Prinsloo v Van der Linde 1997 (3) SA 1012 (CC) at 1029B - F, para [40]

Swanepoel v Transnet Bpk 2000 (2) SA 191 (T)

Titlestad v Minister of Water Affairs 1974 (3) SA 810 (N) at 813 ff D

Labuschagne & Eksteen Verklarende Afrikaanse Woordeboek 8th ed (revised) sv 'veld'.

Cur adv vult. E

Postea (September 27).

Judgment

Scott JA:

[1] The...

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90 practice notes
  • F v Minister of Safety and Security and Others
    • South Africa
    • Invalid date
    ...referred to Freddy Hirsch Group (Pty) Ltd v Chickenland (Pty) Ltd 2011 (4) SA 276 (SCA): referred to E Gouda Boerdery BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) ([2004] 4 All SA 500): referred Govender v Minister of Safety and Security 2001 (2) SACR 197 (SCA) (2001 (4) SA 273; 2001 (11) BCLR 1197)......
  • Steenkamp NO v Provincial Tender Board, Eastern Cape
    • South Africa
    • Invalid date
    ...BCLR 851): referred to G Fraser v Naude and Others 1999 (1) SA 1 (CC) (1998 (11) BCLR 1357): referred to Gouda Boerdery BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) ([2004] 4 All SA 500): referred Grey's Marine Hout Bay (Pty) Ltd and Others v Minister of Public Works and Others 2005 (6) SA 313 (SCA)......
  • F v Minister of Safety and Security and Others
    • South Africa
    • Invalid date
    ...referred to A Freddy Hirsch Group (Pty) Ltd v Chickenland (Pty) Ltd 2011 (4) SA 276 (SCA): referred to Gouda Boerdery BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) ([2004] 4 All SA 500): referred Govender v Minister of Safety and Security 2001 (4) SA 273 (SCA) (2001 (2) SACR 197; 2001 (11) BCLR 1197)......
  • Country Cloud Trading CC v MEC, Department of Infrastructure Development
    • South Africa
    • Invalid date
    ...ZASCA 134): appliedGenwest Batteries (Pty) Ltd v Van der Heyden and Others 1991 (1) SA 727(T): comparedGouda Boerdery BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) ([2004] 4 AllSA 500; [2004] ZASCA 85): dictum in para [12] appliedInternational Shipping Co (Pty) Ltd v Bentley 1990 (1) SA 680 (A) ([198......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
85 cases
  • F v Minister of Safety and Security and Others
    • South Africa
    • Invalid date
    ...referred to Freddy Hirsch Group (Pty) Ltd v Chickenland (Pty) Ltd 2011 (4) SA 276 (SCA): referred to E Gouda Boerdery BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) ([2004] 4 All SA 500): referred Govender v Minister of Safety and Security 2001 (2) SACR 197 (SCA) (2001 (4) SA 273; 2001 (11) BCLR 1197)......
  • Steenkamp NO v Provincial Tender Board, Eastern Cape
    • South Africa
    • Invalid date
    ...BCLR 851): referred to G Fraser v Naude and Others 1999 (1) SA 1 (CC) (1998 (11) BCLR 1357): referred to Gouda Boerdery BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) ([2004] 4 All SA 500): referred Grey's Marine Hout Bay (Pty) Ltd and Others v Minister of Public Works and Others 2005 (6) SA 313 (SCA)......
  • F v Minister of Safety and Security and Others
    • South Africa
    • Invalid date
    ...referred to A Freddy Hirsch Group (Pty) Ltd v Chickenland (Pty) Ltd 2011 (4) SA 276 (SCA): referred to Gouda Boerdery BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) ([2004] 4 All SA 500): referred Govender v Minister of Safety and Security 2001 (4) SA 273 (SCA) (2001 (2) SACR 197; 2001 (11) BCLR 1197)......
  • Country Cloud Trading CC v MEC, Department of Infrastructure Development
    • South Africa
    • Invalid date
    ...ZASCA 134): appliedGenwest Batteries (Pty) Ltd v Van der Heyden and Others 1991 (1) SA 727(T): comparedGouda Boerdery BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) ([2004] 4 AllSA 500; [2004] ZASCA 85): dictum in para [12] appliedInternational Shipping Co (Pty) Ltd v Bentley 1990 (1) SA 680 (A) ([198......
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5 books & journal articles
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    • Juta Yearbook of South African Law No. , March 2022
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    ...appella nt could have taken reasonable steps 87 Le Roux v Dey (note 36) para 122.88 Para 47. See also Gouda Boerderye BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) paras 12 and 13; Hawekwa (note 79) paras 21–23; Van Vuuren (note 80) para 18.89 Gouda Boerderye (note 88) para 12; Hawekwa (note 79) para......
  • The Law of Bureaucratic Negligence in South Africa: A Comparative Commonwealth Perspective
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    • Juta Acta Juridica No. , August 2019
    • 15 August 2019
    ...paras 12 & 16.183These principles were reiterated in the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal inGouda Boerdery Bk v Transnet2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) at 498–499 para 12.148 COMPARING ADMINISTRATIVE JUSTICE ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH© Juta and Company (Pty) the police regarded escapes fro......
  • Aspects of Wrongfulness: A Series of Lectures
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    • Juta Stellenbosch Law Review No. , August 2019
    • 16 August 2019
    ...prosp ects of preventative measures succeeding; and the costs of these preventative meas ures. In performing t his balancing act, 39 2005 5 SA 490 (SCA)40 Para 1341 Para 13460 STELL LR 2014 3 © Juta and Company (Pty) Scott JA concluded that to require Transnet to establish re breaks all al......
  • Bureaucratic bungling, deliberate misconduct and claims for pure economic loss in the tender process
    • South Africa
    • Juta South Africa Mercantile Law Journal No. , September 2019
    • 25 May 2019
    ...with constitutional norms— see Van Eeden v Minister of Safety and Security 2003 (1) SA 389(SCA) para 12; GoudaBoerdery BK v Transnet 2005 (5) SA 490 (SCA) para 12. (d) It is sometimes said that thecriterion for the determination of wrongfulness is ‘a general criterion of reasonableness’, th......
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