LA Group (Pty) Ltd v Stable Brands (Pty) Ltd and Another

The judgment

The court's own file

THE SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL OF SOUTH AFRICA JUDGMENT Not reportable Case no: 650/2020 In the matter between: LA GROUP (PTY) LTD APPELLANT and STABLE BRANDS (PTY) LTD FIRST RESPONDENT THE REGISTRAR OF TRADE MARKS SECOND RESPONDENT Neutral citation: LA Group (Pty) Ltd v Stable Brands (Pty) Ltd and Another (Case no 650/2020) [2021] ZASCA 161 (25 November 2022) Coram: PONNAN, MAKGOKA, SCHIPPERS and PLASKET JJA and PHATSHOANE AJA Delivered: 25 November 2022 Summary: Correction of patent error in order. 2 __________________________________________________________________ AMENDED ORDER __________________________________________________________________ Paragraph 2(c) of the order granted in this matter is amended by the deletion of ‘2013’ and the substitution therefor of ‘2014’. __________________________________________________________________ JUDGMENT __________________________________________________________________ Schippers JA (Ponnan, Makgoka and Plasket JJA and Phatshoane AJA concurring):

[1]Paragraph 2(c) of the order granted in this appeal on 22 February 2022 reads: ‘2 The first respondent’s counter-application for the removal from the register of trade marks, in terms of s 27(1)(a) of the Act, of the following trade mark registration numbers is upheld: . . . (c) 2013/31832 POLO PONY & PLAYER DEVICE in class 9, save for ‘glasses, spectacles, sunglasses’;’

[2]On 12 October 2022 the parties to the appeal drew to the attention of the registrar of this Court that the aforesaid order contained a patent error, namely that ‘2013’ in the order should be deleted and substituted with ‘2014’. They accordingly sought the correction of the order. The error may be corrected, 1 particularly because the order in question is one in rem that affects a public register. 2 1 Firestone South Africa (Pty) Ltd v Genticuro A.G. [1977] 4 All SA 600 (A); 1977 (4) SA 298 (A) at 307A-308A. See Afgri Grain Marketing (Pty) Ltd v Trustees for the time being of Copenship Bulkers A/S (in liquidation) and Others [2019] ZASCA 104 para 6; Oosthuizen and Another v The State [2020] ZASCA 1 para 1. 2 The Gap Inc v Salt of the Earth Creations (Pty) Ltd and Others [2012] ZASCA 68; 2012 (5) SA 259 (SCA) para 2. 3

[3]It is accordingly ordered that: Paragraph 2(c) of the order granted in this matter is amended by the deletion of ‘2013’ and the substitution therefor of ‘2014’. ___________________ A SCHIPPERS JUDGE OF APPEAL