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25 De Jure 409 (1992)
Snatching a Bargain - An Analysis

handle is hein.journals/dejur25 and id is 419 raw text is: Snatching a bargain - an analysis P Fevrier-Breed BA LLB Senior Lecturer in Private Law at the University of the North OPSOMMING Die Opraap van 'n Winskoop - 'n Ontleding Die opraap van 'n winskoop word in verskeie beslissings aangaande dwaling by kontrak en deur sommige outeurs oor hierdie onderwerp, vermeld. Die opraap van 'n winskoop geskied wanneer 'n party 'n wilsverklaring (aanbod of aanname) maak, terwyl hy bewus is, of redelikerwys bewus behoort te wees, van die ander party tot die beoogde kontrak se dwaling - meer spesifiek is daar 'n dwaling deur een van die partye met betrekking tot die (mark)waarde van 'n prestasie waarop die ooreenkoms gerig is. Die nietigheid of vernietig- baarheid van 'n ooreenkoms in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg in hierdie omstandighede word kortliks ontleed. 1 Introduction 1 1 Introductory Remarks Snatching a bargain has been mentioned in various South African court cases dealing with mistake and by some authors writing on this topic.' An analysis of the possible legal effects of snatching a bargain in various cir- cumstances, is therefore, desirable. Snatching a bargain occurs when the second party to a proposed agreement communicates his intention (offer or acceptance) to the first party, while the latter is aware, actually or by inference,2 that the first party is mistaken with regard to the economic value or price of the performance.3 These instances are for the greater part concerned with mistakes which affect the purchase price in a contract of sale, but this type of mistake might also occur in other categories of agreements. Although it is conceded that the snatching of a bargain is without an independent technical meaning in law,4 it is submitted that these instances I Cf Roberts Wessels' Law of Contract in South Africa (1951) par 975 303; Sherry v Moss 1952 WLD (cited by Kahn, Lewis and Visser Contract and Mercantile Law A Source Book By Ellison Kahn (1988) 300); Hahlo and Kahn The Union of South Africa The Development of Its Laws and Constitution (1960) 455; Diedericks v Minister of Lands 1964 1 SA 49 (N) 54; Hunt Mistake in the Formation of contract: The Case of the Careless Clerk 1964 SALJ 153 157; Van Rensburg, Lotz and Van Rijhn LAWSA (ed Joubert) 5 (1978) par 127; Papadopoulos v Trans- State Properties & Investments Ltd 1979 1 SA 682 (W) 689; Slavin's Packaging Ltd v Anglo African Shipping Co Ltd 1989 1 SA 337 (W) 342J et seq; Van der Merwe and Van Huysteen Misverstand en Wangedrag: Beskerming van Kontrakspartye 1989 THRHR 555. 2 In Slavin's Packaging Ltd v Anglo African Shipping Co Ltd 1989 1 SA 337 (W) 343D the court warns that care should be taken in distinguishing between inference and conjecture or specu- lation; in Hartog v Colin and Shields 1939 3 All ER 566 (KB) it was held that the plaintiff must have known (by inference from the facts) of defendant's mistake in offering the skins at a price per pound weight. 3 Cf authorities in n 1. 4 Cf Van der Merwe and Van Huysteen 1989 THRHR 558.

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