'Mickey Mouse' club wins big in court case against WPRFU

REACTION: The Western Province Rugby Football Union’s new executive, less than a week after being elected into office, were given a bloody nose in the Western Cape High Court.

La Motte, a community-based club from Franschhoek and labelled by some Cape Town officials as ‘Mickey Mouse’, won their case against a decision by WPRFU to prevent them from affiliating to the Boland Rugby Union.

The club sought urgent legal relief to compel its reinstatement into the BRU Community Shield competition.

The respondents in the case were the BRU, WPRFU, South African Rugby Football Union, Kobus Vergotine, Danny Jones and Faizel Felton.

The case was settled in the High Court of South Africa, Western Cape Division, this past Tuesday.

The judge, Justice Francis, in his ruling, determined that the BRU must comply with a decision taken at the union’s Annual General Meeting on November 30. (Ssee judgment below)

WPRFU was also instructed not to ‘unlawfully interfere’ in the affairs of La Motte.

Costs have been stood over.

In a dispute that has been simmering since last year, La Motte accused WPRFU of ‘exerting behind-the-scenes pressure’ on BRU to block their participation and a ‘blatantly unlawful abuse of power’.

This relates to meetings between executive members of WPRFU and the BRU that excluded La Motte and resulted in the decision of the November AGM to be reversed.

La Motte argued that a February 2025 meeting between WPRFU and BRU officials – held in secret – resulted in the unlawful reversal of its BRU membership.

La Motte’s reinstated membership of the BRU will remain in effect unless a court decides otherwise.

“We are looking forward to playing with, and against, our neighbouring teams, Wemmershoek and Dennegeur, who are already competing in BRU competitions,” La Motte Chairman Dennis Boonzaaier said in a statement to @rugby365com.

“We feel vindicated by the court’s decision and deeply relieved that justice has prevailed.

“The fighting should stop now, and community sports should be prioritised.”

Newly-elected WPRFU President Kevin Kiewits has not responded to a @rugby365com request for comment on the outcome of the case.

* Should he respond at a later stage, his comment will be added or an additional article will be published with his reaction.

@king365ed
@rugby365com

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