Times Of Swaziland: HUGE SPAN DEMANDS E441 312 FROM RUCHI HUGE SPAN DEMANDS E441 312 FROM RUCHI ================================================================================ BY STANLEY KHUMALO on 14/01/2020 06:21:00 MBABANE – Huge Span Investment (Pty) Ltd is seeking compensation in the sum of E441 312.50 from Ruchi Shopping Centre (Pty) Ltd. This follows that Huge Span Investment (Pty) Ltd on October 5, 2018 purportedly entered into an agreement with the defendant (Ruchi Shopping Centre (Pty) Ltd) to construct warehouses, shops, driveways, storm water reticulation and parking at Plot 941 Matsapha Industrial Sites. The plaintiff, in his particulars of claim, alleged that Huge Span Investment (Pty) Ltd undertook to construct the works as set out above based on a labour contract with working tools and equipment for the sum of E5.5 million. In the agreement, which was allegedly entered into in Matsapha, the plaintiff was represented by Imran Patel while the defendant was represented by Ashvin Patel. Huge Span Investment (Pty) Ltd further submitted that the defendant undertook to pa y the contractor at regular intervals as certified by its consultants, Creative Structural Engineering Solutions, within 14 days of certification. According to the plaintiff, the parties allegedly agreed to the fact that in the event of breach, the defendant was entitled to terminate the contract and the plaintiff would be paid the amount that had been certified by the defendant’s consultant. “In the event the plaintiff were to institute legal proceedings to recover the amount owed, the defendant agreed that it will be liable for costs,” submitted the plaintiff. Huge Span Investment (Pty) Ltd further submitted that in line with the alleged agreement, they performed the terms of the contract and on or before November 26, 2018 submitted a certificate No. 5 in the sum of E441 312.50. These are allegations contained in the plaintiff’s particulars of claim whose veracity is still to be tested in court and the respondent is yet to file its detailed papers in the event it is disputing the claim against it. The plaintiff alleged that the certificate was duly certified by the defendant’s consultant on November 26, 2018 for payment by Ruchi Shopping Centre (Pty) Ltd. “In total of the agreement breach between the parties, the defendant has up to date not paid the plaintiff despite that payment was due not later than December 11, 2018. The amount is therefore due, owing and payable but despite lawful demand the defendant has failed and or neglected to pay same or part thereof,” alleged the plaintiff. Furthermore, Huge Span Investment (Pty) Ltd alleged that it approached the Construction Industrial Council (CIC), which is the regulator of the construction industry. Certified According to the plaintiff’s submission, the CIC was to assist them in recovering the amount certified. A meeting was purportedly held between the plaintiff and defendant at the offices of the CIC. In that meeting, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant advised the CIC that it withheld the payment to the plaintiff for advance payment to the director of Huge Span Investment (Pty) in his personal capacity. The plaintiff further submitted that at the meeting the CIC advised the defendant to treat the advance payment separately from the construction contract as there was no provision of an advance payment stipulated in the same contract. Furthermore, Huge Span Investment (Pty) alleged that despite lawful demand as well as the advice of the CIC to pay the defendant had failed to pay the amount due or part thereof. The plaintiff further claimed that the defendant had also refused to subject itself to arbitration. The plaintiff sought an order followed against the defendant payment of the sum E441 312.50. The plaintiff demanded that its compensation should incur an interest of 9 per cent per annum as from the dates of summons to date of final payment. The summons was filed on December 11, 2018. Huge Span Investment (Pty) Ltd further sought that the costs of suit be incurred by the defendant. In the event the defendants were disputing the claim, Ruchi Shopping Centre (Pty) Ltd was advised to within 10 days of receiving the summons to file their notice of intention to oppose and serve a copy thereof to the plaintiff. Thereafter, the defendants were further advised that they should within 21 days after serving notice of intention to defend, file with the registrar of the High Court and serve upon the plaintiffs’ attorneys, a plea, and exception, notice to strike out with or without a counter-claim. Huge Span Investment (Pty) Ltd is represented by attorneys from Robinson Bertram.