African Bank Limited, the South African lender, has secured another legal victory after the High Court in Johannesburg dismissed an application by Verbisat Proprietary Limited and four other respondents for leave to appeal a money judgment granted in the bank’s favour.

The dispute involves Verbisat, South Africa Security Solutions and Technology Proprietary Limited, Vadospex Proprietary Limited, EC Greyling and GE Greyling.

Court rejects appeal, orders punitive legal costs

In a judgment delivered on October 9, 2026, Judge Wright ruled that the respondents had no reasonable prospects of success on appeal and found no compelling reason for the matter to be heard by an appellate court. The application was dismissed with costs, including legal fees on the punitive attorney-and-client scale.

African Bank secured the original money judgment against the five respondents on September 10, 2026, after they elected not to file answering affidavits and instead relied on legal arguments to oppose the lender’s application.

In the latest proceedings, Wright found that the grounds advanced by the respondents largely repeated arguments that had already been considered and rejected in the original judgment. He also ruled that new arguments introduced in the application for leave to appeal were impermissible.

Court orders respondents to pay African Bank’s legal costs

The court further considered whether the respondents’ indebtedness to African Bank was subject to a cap. However, the judge declined to address the issue because it had not formed part of the legal arguments raised in the original proceedings or the grounds advanced in support of the appeal application.

The court ordered the respondents to pay the legal costs jointly and severally, meaning African Bank can recover the full amount from any one of them until the obligation is satisfied. The costs were awarded on the attorney-and-client scale in accordance with the relevant agreements.

The judgment did not disclose the amount of the money judgment or provide further details about the underlying debt.

African Bank strengthens legal position

The ruling represents a further legal setback for the respondents, leaving the original money judgment in place following the dismissal of their application for leave to appeal.

For African Bank, the decision reinforces its position in the dispute, although the judgment does not establish whether the outstanding debt has been recovered.

African Bank is a South African retail and commercial lender that provides personal loans and other financial services to consumers and businesses. The latest ruling adds to its legal proceedings against the five respondents as it seeks to enforce the financial obligations at the centre of the dispute.