THE SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

JUDGMENT

REPORTABLE
Case number : 271/2006
In the matter between :

FRANCIS LESLIE BOWRING NO
APPELLANT

and

VREDEDORP PROPERTIES CC
FIRST RESPONDENT
THE REGISTRAR OF DEEDS

SECOND RESPONDENT

CORAM :
STREICHER, BRAND, HEHER, VAN HEERDEN
et MAYA JJA

HEARD :
21 MAY 2007
DELIVERED :
31 MAY 2007

Summary:
Doctrine of notice – application in areas of both unregistered
servitudes and of successive sales – in latter instance no reason in
principle why first purchaser cannot claim transfer of thing sold directly
from
subsequent
purchaser
–
question
whether
subsequent
purchasers should be joined as parties – dependent on whether they
can be said to have a direct and substantial interest in the outcome of
the litigation.

Neutral citation:
This judgment may be referred to as Bowring NO v Vrededorp
Properties CC [2007] SCA 80 (RSA)

BRAND JA/

BRAND JA:

[1] The appellant is the sole trustee of the F L B Trust ('the Trust'). The
Trust is the registered owner of an immovable property in Loveday Street
South, Selby, Johannesburg. The property was formerly used as a railway
siding and it still bears that name. Proceedings commenced when the first
respondent ('Vrededorp'), as the plaintiff, instituted an action against the
Trust, as the first defendant, in the Johannesburg High Court. Broadly stated,
Vrededorp claimed an order in two parts, namely, that the Trust be directed,
first, to subdivide the railway siding and to transfer a defined subdivided
portion to Vrededorp; and, secondly, to register a servitude of way – giving
access to Loveday Street – in favour of Vrededorp over the remainder of the
property. The Registrar of Deeds, who was cited as the second defendant in
the court a quo and as the second respondent in this court, did not participate
in any of the proceedings.

[2] In a diagram attached to Vrededorp's particulars of claim, the undivided
portion of the railway siding which was the subject of its claim for transfer was
depicted in blue, while the remainder of the property over which it claimed the
servitude was coloured green. For ease of reference I propose to distinguish
between the two portions involved with reference to these colours. The Trust
resisted Vrededorp's claim and filed a counterclaim for an order that would
constitute the converse of the order contemplated in the main claim, namely,
that Vrededorp be ejected from the blue portion and refused access over the
green portion of the railway siding. In the event, the court a quo (Blieden J)
granted the main claim and refused the counterclaim, in both instances with
costs. The appeal against that order is with the leave of the court a quo.

[3] At the commencement of the trial in the court below, the parties agreed
that the matter should be decided on the basis that the allegations in
Vrededorp's particulars of claim were factually correct. Because of this
agreement, no evidence was led. The background facts, which thus became
common cause, appear from what follows. On 13 October 1994 Vrededorp
purchased two immovable properties from a company called Stand 160 Selby

(Pty) Ltd ('Stand 160') for a purchase price of R1,27m. The properties which
formed the subject matter of the sale were collectively described as 'Erf 358
Selby, plus the subdivided portion of the railway siding on the east side of [erf
358]', ie the blue portion. Further terms of the agreement of sale that are of
relevance appear from clause 17. They read as follows:
'17. Subdivision and Servitude costs
17.1
The seller [Stand 160] shall prior to the registration of transfer . . . subdivide at its own
costs the portion of the railway siding that lies to the east of Stand 358 Selby [ie the blue
portion]  . . .
17.2
The seller records that the purchaser [Vrededorp] shall have the right, at his own
cost, to establish a servitude over the remaining [ie the green] portion of the railway siding.
The servitude is to ensure shared use of the land, giving the purchaser's vehicles access to
the east side of the property [ie erf 358 Selby].'

[4] On 11 May 1995 Stand 160 and Vrededorp agreed to amend their
agreement of 13 October 1994 in terms of what was called an 'addendum' to
that agreement. The pertinent provisions of the addendum appear from
clauses 2 and 4. They read as follows:
'2.
The parties agree that Erf 358 Selby shall be transferred into the name of the
Purchaser immediately, against payment of R1 220 000 of the purchase price.
The parties further agree that [the blue portion of] the Siding shall be transferred into the
name of the Purchaser as soon as possible thereafter, against payment of R50 000 being the
balance of the purchase price.
3.
. . .
4.
The Purchaser acknowledges that the fact that the Seller is not able to give transfer
of [the blue portion of] the Siding at this stage,  shall not constitute a basis to cancel the
Agreement of Sale, and the Purchaser shall proceed with the Agreement of Sale in
accordance [t]herewith as read with the Addendum . . . '

[5] Pursuant to the addendum, Erf 358 Selby was transferred to Vrededorp
during July 1995.  Subdivision and transfer of the blue portion of the railway
siding were, however, overtaken by the liquidation of Stand 160. On 12 March
1997, the liquidator of Stand 160 sold the railway siding to Investec Bank
Limited. Though the blue portion had not yet been subdivided and therefore
still formed part of the property, the deed of sale made it clear that that portion
had to be transferred to Vrededorp 'and thus does not form part of this
agreement'. In addition, clause 17 of the deed of sale provided:

'Subdivision and Servitudes
The Purchaser [Investec] acknowledges and accepts that the Seller [Stand 160 in liquidation]
will subdivide at its own cost the [blue] portion of [the railway siding] that lies to the east of
stand 358 Selby . . . ., further that the owners of Stand 358 Selby, ie Vrededorp Properties CC
will, at their own expense establish a servitude over the remaining [green] portion . . . [of the
railway siding] to ensure shared use of the land giving access to vehicles requiring such
access to stand 358 Selby.'

[6] On 25 June 1998 Investec sold and subsequently transferred the whole
of the railway siding, including both the blue and green portions, to the Trust.
Unlike the deed of sale between the liquidator of Stand 160 and Investec, the
subsequent agreement between Investec and the Trust made no reference to
Vrededorp's right to procure transfer of the blue portion, nor of its right to a
servitude over the green portion. Nonetheless, one of the allegations in
Vrededorp's particulars of claim which was formally admitted was that at all
relevant times, and particularly when Investec and thereafter the Trust
purchased the railway siding, both purchasers were aware that Vrededorp
had the right to take transfer of the blue portion and to register a servitude of
right of way in its favour over the green portion of that property.

[7] It is this knowledge on the part of the Trust which constitutes the
factual foundation of Vrededorp's case. For the legal basis of its case it relies
on what has become known as the doctrine of notice. This doctrine has found
application in a number of instances in the law of property. (For a succinct
summary of the various applications, see eg Badenhorst, Pienaar & Mostert
Silberberg and Schoeman's The Law of Property 4 ed (2004) p 88.) I will first
deal with its application in relation to unregistered servitudes, which has by
now become settled law. In this instance the doctrine operates in the following
way: if A and B enter into an agreement which entitles A to have a servitude
registered over the land of B, A has a personal right to claim that B should
cooperate in procuring registration of the servitude, as this is a requirement
for the creation of the real right that A has bargained for. Once registration
has taken place any subsequent purchaser of the land will be bound by the
servitude.

[8] If, however, B should sell his land and transfer ownership to C before
registration has occurred, C would normally not be bound to give effect to the
servitude. But, if C had knowledge of A's unregistered servitude at the time
the contract of sale was entered into between B and C, C will be bound, not
only to give effect to the servitude, but also to cooperate in having the
servitude registered. (See eg Richards v Nash (1881) 1 SC 312 at 318; De
Jager v Sisana 1930 AD 71 at 84; Grant v Stonestreet 1968 (4) SA 1 (A) at
20A-B; Wahloo Sand BK v Trustees, Hambly Parker Trust 2002 (2) SA 776
(SCA) paras 8-10 at 782G-783E; Badenhorst, Pienaar & Mostert op cit p 89;
Van der Merwe Sakereg (1989) 2ed p 526 et seq. As in Wahloo Sand (para
9), the thus far unresolved question of whether knowledge of A's right,
acquired by C after the date of purchase, but prior to the date of transfer will
suffice to set the doctrine in motion, does not arise on the facts of this case.)

[9] Without more, this application of the doctrine of notice would seem to
render Vrededorp's claim for registration of a servitude over the green portion,
unanswerable. It had a contractual right for claiming registration of the
servitude against the erstwhile owner, Stand 160, of which the Trust and its
predecessor, Investec, admittedly had knowledge when they purchased the
dominant property. Simply stated, the Trust's answer to this claim, was,
however, that a servitude over the green portion would only give access to the
blue portion and that, because Vrededorp was not entitled to claim transfer of
the blue portion, the servitude claimed would only serve the Trust's own
property, which was not competent in law.

[10] Factually, the answer appears to be well-founded. Vrededorp's
property, erf 358 Selby, has no common boundary with the green portion.
They are separated by the blue portion. Access to Vrededorp's property can
therefore only be gained by a servitude over the green portion via the blue
portion. As a matter of law, the argument is equally well-founded. A praedial
servitude – such as the one claimed – can only exist if it provides some
permanent advantage to a dominant property (see eg Lorentz v Melle 1978
(3) SA 1044 (T) 1049C-G; Van der Merwe op cit p 459). It thus became
common cause during argument that Vrededorp's claim for registration of a

servitude over the green portion is entirely dependent on its right to claim
transfer of the blue portion.

[11] The legal basis advanced by Vrededorp for its claim to the blue portion
is again derived from the doctrine of notice. This time it relies on the
application of the doctrine in the sphere of successive sales. The usual
operation of the doctrine in this instance, as explained in our case law, is
essentially as follows: if a seller, A, sells a thing – be it movable or immovable
– to B and subsequently sells the same thing to C, ownership is acquired, not
by the earlier purchaser, but by the purchaser who first obtains transfer of the
thing sold. If the first purchaser, B, is also the first transferee, his or her right is
unassailable. If the second purchaser, C, is the first transferee, his or her right
of ownership is equally unassailable if he or she had purchased without
knowledge of the prior sale to B. But, if C had purchased with such prior
knowledge, B is entitled to claim that the transfer to C be set aside so that
ownership of the thing sold can be transferred to B. (See eg Cohen v Shires,
McHattie and King (1882) 1 SAR 41 at 46; McGregor v Jordaan 1921 CPD
301 at 308; Tiger-Eye Investments (Pty) Ltd v Riverview Diamond Fields (Pty)
Ltd 1971 (1) SA 351 (C) at 358F-G; Kazazis v Georghiades 1979 (3) SA 887
(T) at 894B-D; Cussons v Kroon 2001 (4) SA 833 (SCA) at 839C-E;
Badenhorst, Pienaar & Mostert op cit p 89; Gerhard Lubbe 'A doctrine in
search of a theory: reflections on the so-called doctrine of notice in South
African Law', 1997 Acta Juridica 246 et seq. Again it is unnecessary to enter
into the unresolved debate referred to earlier, ie whether knowledge acquired
by C between purchase and transfer would make any difference.)

[12] It is not denied by the Trust that, in principle, the doctrine of notice
affords Vrededorp the right to claim transfer of the blue portion. Nonetheless
the Trust raised a twofold defence against the way in which this claim was
brought. Its first contention was that the doctrine of notice, as applied in the
sphere of successive sales, does not allow the first purchaser, B, to claim
transfer directly from the second purchaser, C. Secondly, it raised a defence
in the nature of non-joinder which relied on the fact that Stand 160 and
Investec had not been joined by Vrededorp as parties to the proceedings.

[13] In developing its first mentioned contention, the Trust argued that the
doctrine of notice only entitles the first purchaser, B, to set aside the transfer
to the second purchaser, C, which then opens the way for B to claim transfer
from the original seller, A. B cannot claim transfer directly from C. To allow B
to do so, so the argument went, would amount to admitting a claim for specific
performance of a contract between A and B against a stranger to that
contract, which would be irreconcilable with the basic principles of our law of
contract.

[14] The Trust's argument seems to be supported by what happens in
practice when the doctrine of notice is applied to successive sales. More
pertinently, there appears to be no decided case in our law where the first
purchaser's claim for transfer or delivery has been allowed directly against the
second purchaser. On the other hand, some academic writers hold the view
that there is no underlying reason of principle why it should not be so allowed.
In fact, so they say, the possibility of a claim by B against C derives support
from Roman-Dutch authorities. This appears, for example, from the following
exposition by R G McKerron 'Purchaser with Notice' 1935 SA Law Times Vol
4 178 p180:
'It remains to consider the position where transfer has been passed to the second purchaser.
If C, when he bought, had knowledge of the prior sale to B, there is no doubt as to the
position. The authorities, both ancient and modern, are agreed that in such a case C is not
entitled to retain the land as against B. The old authorities allow B to recover the res vendita
direct from C by a personal action in factum [as opposed to the rei vindicatio, only available to
the owner], and there is no reason why in a suitable case B should not be allowed to adopt
this course in the modern law. But in South Africa the usual practice is for B to join A as co-
defendant, and claim as against him an order cancelling the transfer, and as against C an
order to pass transfer into his (B's) name.'
(See also Voet 6.1.20; J E Scholtens 'Double Sales' 1953 SALJ 22 p 34; Prof
Gerhard Lubbe op cit p 247.))

[15] The notion that B can be allowed to claim performance against C of a
contractual undertaking by A is clearly an anomaly in that it flies in the face of
contractual privity.  But I do not think that this anomaly can, by itself,

constitute a bar to affording B the right to claim transfer of the thing sold
directly from C. For as Prof McKerron puts it (op cit p 180):
'Absence of privity is not a sufficient reason for refusing to allow a remedy founded upon a
doctrine such as the doctrine of "purchaser with notice," which is a purely equitable doctrine
running counter to the rule of the strict law that a real right takes preference over a merely
personal right.'

[16] What is more, the same anomaly reveals itself in the sphere of
unregistered servitudes when a purchaser with knowledge is compelled to
cooperate in procuring registration of a servitude previously granted by the
seller of immovable property. The nature of the right granted by the seller in
this instance appears from the following statement by Innes CJ in
Willoughby's Consolidated Co v Copthall Stores Ltd 1918 AD 1 at 16:
'Now a servitude, like any other real right, may be acquired by agreement. Such an
agreement, however, though binding on the contracting parties, does not by itself vest the
legal title to the servitude in the beneficiary, any more than the contract of sale of land passes
the dominium to the buyer. The right of the beneficiary is to claim performance of the contract
by delivery of the servitude, which must be effected coram lege loci by an entry made in the
Register and endorsed upon the title deed of the servient property.'
(See also De Jager v Sisana 1930 AD 71 at 84; Cape Explosive Works Ltd v
Denel (Pty) Ltd 2001 (3) SA 569 (SCA) at 580B-E).

[17] The essential quality of the right that the purchaser acquires from a
contract of sale is therefore no different from the right of the beneficiary under
a servitude agreement. Both rights are so-called iura in personam ad rem
acquirendam, ie personal rights to acquire a real right (see eg Van der Merwe
op cit p 86; Badenhorst, Pienaar & Mostert op cit p 70). In the case of a
servitude, application of the doctrine of notice does not require that the
transfer of the property to the purchaser be set aside so as to enable the
beneficiary under the servitude agreement first to claim registration of the
servitude against the seller before the property is re-transferred to the
purchaser subject to a registered servitude. The beneficiary's claim is allowed
directly against the purchaser (see eg Grant v Stonestreet (supra) at 7). That
there is no privity of contract between the beneficiary and the purchaser is not
seen as an insurmountable hurdle. Why then, it may in my view rightfully be

asked, should the position be any different when the same doctrine is applied
in the instance of double sales?

[18] My suggestion is not that in the successive purchaser situation B
should always be allowed to claim transfer directly from C. The doctrine of
notice is an equitable remedy and its manner of application should be
determined largely by what is considered to be equitable to all concerned in
the circumstances of the particular case. Where the whole property is first
sold to B and then to C, the most equitable solution will probably be to restore
A and C to their former position – by ordering cancellation of the transfer and
repayment of the purchase price – before A is ordered to transfer the property
to B. But in this case the position is substantially different. Vrededorp claims
transfer of the blue portion of the railway siding only. Cancellation of the
successive transfers of the whole property to Investec and the Trust, will
therefore require that the remainder of the property be re-transferred first to
Investec and then to the Trust, after the blue portion had been separated and
transferred to Vrededorp. No reason has been suggested, and I can think of
none, why this cumbersome and wasteful process would be in anybody's
interest.  For these reasons I conclude that the Trust's first defence, based on
the application of the doctrine of notice, cannot be sustained.

[19] This brings me to the second defence of non-joinder. Though this
defence was not formally raised by the Trust in its pleadings, it nevertheless
argued that the relief sought and obtained by Vrededorp should not have
been granted without the original seller, Stand 160, and the intermediate
second purchaser, Investec, being joined as parties to the proceedings.

[20] Central to the argument in support of this defence, was the contention
that, although Vrededorp's claim for transfer was brought against the Trust
only, it (a) effectively interfered with the contractual relationship between
Stand 160 and Investec, on the one hand, and between Investec and the
Trust, on the other; and (b) effectively amounted to an enforcement of
Vrededorp's contractual claim against Stand 160. In motivating contention (b)
the Trust referred, first, to Vrededorp's formal tender to pay, against transfer

of the blue portion, the purchase price of R50 000 to the liquidator of Stand
160, which obligation could only arise from the agreement between Vrededorp
and Stand 160. Secondly, it referred to the fact that Vrededorp sought and
obtained an order from the court a quo that the Trust 'is to make payment of
all costs and expenses pertaining to the transfer of the subdivided portion to
Vrededorp'. If Vrededorp had any right to payment of these expenses, so the
Trust argued, this right could only derive from its agreement with Stand 160.

[21] Though the Trust may well be right in its analysis of the effect of
Vrededorp's claim, the enquiry relating to non-joinder remains one of
substance rather than the form of the claim. (See eg Amalgamated
Engineering Union v Minister of Labour 1949 (3) SA 637 (A) at 657.) The
substantial test is whether the party that is alleged to be a necessary party for
purposes of joinder, has a legal interest in the subject matter of the litigation,
which may be affected prejudicially by the judgment of the court in the
proceedings concerned (see eg Aquatur (Pty) Ltd v Sacks 1989 (1) SA 56 (A)
at 62A-F; Transvaal Agricultural Union v Minister of Agriculture and Land
Affairs 2005 (4) SA 212 (SCA) paras 64-66).

[22] During argument counsel for the Trust was invited to indicate, with
reference to the facts available to us, how the order sought and obtained by
Vrededorp could prejudicially affect the legal interests of either Investec or
Stand 160. The only potential prejudice he referred to was that which could
result from that part of the court a quo's order which directed the Trust to pay
the expenses occasioned by the subdivision of the blue portion and its
subsequent transfer to Vrededorp. This part of the order, so counsel for the
Trust contended, may very well lead to an action by the Trust against Investec
for recoupment of these expenses, which the latter may then in turn seek to
recover from Stand 160 (in liquidation).

[23] While conceding the validity of this contention, Vrededorp's counsel
responded by abandoning that part of the relief granted by the court a quo.  In
the result, counsel for the Trust was not able to contemplate any other
prejudicial effect which the order, thus amended, may have on the legal

interests of either Investec or Stand 160. In the absence of any potential
prejudice, the Trust's defence based on non-joinder must also fail.

[24] In the light of the concession by Vrededorp's counsel, the court a quo's
order stands to be amended by deletion of the direction that the Trust should
pay the expenses occasioned by subdivision and transfer of the blue portion.
Another amendment I think advisable is to incorporate Vrededorp's tender of
R50 000 in favour of Stand 160, in the court's order.

[25] What remains to be considered is the costs of appeal. Despite the
argument to the contrary on behalf of Vrededorp, I am of the view that the
Trust has achieved substantial success on appeal.  Though the exact amount
of the expenses for which the Trust will no longer be liable is unknown, I have
no reason to think that it will be negligible, nor can I think of any reason why
costs should not follow this event.

[26] For these reasons it is ordered that:

1.
The appeal is upheld with costs.

2.
The order of the court a quo is amended to read as follows:
'1.
The first defendant is directed to do all things necessary
to transfer into the name of the plaintiff the subdivided
portion of the railway siding on the east side of Erf 358
Selby depicted in blue on annexure VP-1 to the plaintiff's
particulars of claim, against payment by the plaintiff of the
amount of R50 000 to the liquidator of Stand 160 Selby
(Pty) Ltd (in liquidation).
2.
The plaintiff is to make payment of all costs and
expenses pertaining to the subdivision and transfer of the
blue portion referred to in paragraph 1 above.
3.
The first defendant is to do all things necessary to
facilitate the registration of the servitude by the plaintiff
over the remaining portion of the remainder of the railway
siding, depicted in green on the said annexure VP-1.

4.
The first defendant's counterclaim is dismissed with
costs.
5.
The first defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs of suit.'

........................
F D J BRAND
JUDGE OF APPEAL

Concur:

STREICHER JA
HEHER JA
VAN HEERDEN JA
MAYA JA

THE SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

MEDIA SUMMARY – JUDGMENT DELIVERED IN THE SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL

Case number: 271 /06

FRANCIS LESLIE BOWRING NO

APPELLANT

and

VREDEDORP PROPERTIES CC
FIRST RESPONDENT
THE REGISTRAR OF DEEDS

SECOND RESPONDENT

From:
The Registrar, Supreme Court of Appeal
Date:
2007-05-
Status:
Immediate

On 31 May 2007 the SCA endorsed an extension of the application of
the doctrine of notice with regard to successive sales of the same
property, by allowing the first purchaser to recover the thing sold directly
from the second purchaser who acquired the property with knowledge of
the first sale. The matter originated from an agreement of sale between
the respondent, Vrededorp Properties CC, and a company, Stand 160
Selby (Pty) Ltd. In terms of the agreement Vrededorp purchased an as

yet undivided portion of an immovable property, situated in Loveday
Street, Selby, Johannesburg, from Stand 160. Subsequent to the sale
Stand 160 was finally wound up and the liquidator sold and transferred
the whole property, inclusive of the undivided portion, to Investec Bank
who in turn sold and transferred the whole property to the appellant, the
Francis Leslie Bowring Trust. Vrededorp thereupon successfully sued
the Trust in the Johannesburg High Court for an order compelling
subdivision and transfer of the undivided portion which it had purchased
from Stand 160.

It was common cause between the parties that both Investec and the
Trust had knowledge of the prior sale of the undivided portion to
Vrededorp when they acquired the property as a whole from their
respective predecessors in title. In consequence it was not disputed by
the Trust that, by operation of a settled doctrine of our law, known as the
doctrine of notice, Vrededorp was entitled to claim subdivision and
transfer of the undivided portion. The Trust's defence was, however, in
essence, that the doctrine of notice does not allow a first purchaser to
claim transfer directly from the subsequent purchaser. What the doctrine
entitles the first purchaser to do, so the Trust argued, is to claim
cancellation of the transfer to the second purchaser and then to claim
against the seller, an order to pass transfer into the first purchaser's
name.

The SCA decided, however, that this defence could not be sustained.
Despite the absence of any direct precedent in our case law, so the
court held, there is no reason in principle why a first purchaser should
not be allowed in a suitable case – such as the present – to claim
transfer directly from the second purchaser who acquired the property

with knowledge of the first sale.  The High Court's order compelling the
Trust to subdivide and transfer the undivided portion of the property to
Vrededorp, was therefore confirmed.  The appeal was, however,
partially successful in that that part of the High Court's order which
compelled the Trust to pay the expenses pertaining to the subdivision
and transfer of the property, was set aside.