Eversheds - People - Alex Eliott

Alex Eliott

E-mail alexeliott@eversheds.co.za
Tel: 011 523 6080
International: +27 11 523 6080

English and Afrikaans

Alex specialises in commercial litigation with emphasis on insolvency and sports law.

His recent experience includes:

Acting for the joint liquidators of Serveco (Pty) Ltd (in liquidation) and successfully (on appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal) defending an interdict brought by Serveco’s majority shareholder. The SCA held that it is unlawful for a company in liquidation to be deregistered, that it was not a prerequisite for the Master in convening an insolvency inquiry to act upon the application of a person or any category of persons, and that the appointment of a business partner of one of the joint liquidators to conduct an insolvency inquiry into the affairs of Serveco was merely a ministerial appointment and not an inadmissible delegation of the joint liquidators' powers. This case is one of the most important insolvency law cases in recent years.

Acting for José Torrealba Acevedo, a former Venezuelan international footballer, against Mamelodi Sundowns FC in a matter involving a forged signature on a contract renewal form and the refusal of the club to issue Torrealba with a clearance certificate to play for another club. An application brought before the Dispute Resolution Chamber of the Premier Soccer League for an order declaring Torrealba a free agent was successful. Sundowns appealed to the Appeals Board of the South African Football Association, which dismissed the appeal. During this period Torrealba was unable to work and missed out on various opportunities to play for other clubs. He is now pursuing damages claims against Sundowns before the DRC and in the High Court.

Opposing an application on behalf of the South African Chocolate and Sweet Manufacturers Association (SACSMA) in a matter involving the imposition of a 10% ad valorem (value based) duty on the imports of sugar brought by an association of Brazilian sugar growers and distributors, ABICAB, in the High Court. The case involved various administrative law issues as well as specialised customs and international trade matters, in particular the legal standing of recommendations made by the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC). After delivery of SACSMA's answering affidavit, ABICAB withdrew its application and tendered SACSMA's costs.