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.

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AMENDED ORDER
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Paragraph 2(c) of the order granted in this matter is amended by the deletion of
‘2013’ and the substitution therefor of ‘2014’.
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JUDGMENT
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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] 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