Opposing Parties Gear Up as Court Sets Key Dates for Tongaat Hulett Liquidation Hearing

• Different parties opposed the application to liquidate Tongaat Hulett, seeking to present their case in court
• Tongaat Hulett remains hopeful for a rescue amidst ongoing legal proceedings and opposing arguments
• The judge ruled that all answering papers must be filed by 5 pm on Wednesday, 25 February 2026

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

KWAZULU-NATAL - More parties are preparing to join and oppose the application to liquidate Tongaat Hulett, which was filed by the company's Business Rescue Practitioners (BRP) at the Durban High Court. This was revealed on Friday morning, 27 February 2026, during virtual court proceedings.

Tongaat Hulett can still be rescued

The hearing, scheduled to take place at the Durban High Court, could not proceed as planned because several intervening parties, who intend to argue that Tongaat Hulett can still be rescued, needed time to file opposing papers. Some of these parties had submitted their documents late on Thursday, 26 February 2026. As each party required time to submit opposing papers, answering affidavits, and heads of arguments before the hearing, a draft order was prepared and presented to Judge Sanele Hlatshwayo ahead of Friday's virtual sitting. The draft order outlined timelines for the filing of papers. However, during the proceedings, disagreements over some of the filing deadlines prompted Judge Hlatshwayo to issue a ruling.

Read also

President Ramaphosa forms panel to probe Iran naval exercise breach, SA sceptical of another inquiry

The judge ruled that all answering papers must be filed by 5 pm on Wednesday, 25 February 2026, and 4 March 2026. He further ordered that the business rescuers submit their heads of argument on or before March 9, 2026, and that the respondents and intervening parties file their heads of argument by 12 March 2026. This schedule also includes the filing of papers related to a counter-application brought by the RGS Group.

Judge Hlatshwayo stated that the liquidation and counter-application matters would be set for a hearing on a date arranged with the judge president. He confirmed that he would inform the judge president of the urgency of the matter and indicated that a hearing date would likely be communicated to the parties either on Friday or by Monday.

Misuzulu kaZwelethini meets with bilionaire Robert Gumede to save Tongaat Hulett

Briefly News Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelethini met with billionaire Robert Gumede to discuss how Tongaat Hulett, which faces liquidation after business rescue failed, can be saved. He outlined his vision for the company.

Read also

Parliament's legal team to request O’Sullivan returns to Ad Hoc Committee after walkout, SA debates

The Zulu Prime Minister Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, who is also the province’s MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and the Zulu Royal Chancellor, Inkosi Malusi Zondi, attended the meeting. Addressing King Misuzulu, Gumede proposed that the Royal Family should also be part and parcel of the shareholders. He added that without the workers, farmers, and the land, the factories and sugar refineries mean nothing. Gumede added that Vision Group wants to change the company and generate electricity to sell to Eskom.

Source: Briefly News