BREACH OF CONTRACT

MORA DEBITORIS
REQUIREMENTS
Transnet v MV Snow Crystal

Delay by PF still
debtor possible

No lawful excuse Due &

Scoin Trading v enforceable
Bernstein

Mora ex re Time is of essence (?)

Mora ex persona Alfred McAlpine v TPA
Nel v Cloete

Only if tacit
time clause

1
 BREACH OF CONTRACT
MORA DEBITORIS

CONSEQUENCES

“Perpetuates”
Election Damages
obligation

Uphold (primary) Cancel (extraordinary)

• Claim specific PF • Lex commissoria* or
• Exceptio non • Notice of rescission or
adimpleti contractus • Time is of essence
Not freed by
supervening
impossibility
Tweedie v
Park Travel

Ex 8.2 2
 BREACH OF CONTRACT
MORA DEBITORIS
CANCELLATION

Mora ex re Mora ex persona

Interpellatio: fixes date for PF

(1) PF is late: in mora debitoris

(2) Right to cancel? Can be

combin
ed in 1
Lex Time is of Notice of notice
commissoria essence recission: acquires
right to cancel

(3) Exercises right to cancel:

Notice of cancellation
3
 BREACH OF CONTRACT
MORA CREDITORIS
REQUIREMENTS

PF still
Delay by
possible
creditor
No lawful
excuse
• No fault?
Creditor’s co-
Due &
operation needed enforceable
Ranch Int v LMG

Failure to accept Prior acts to enable

• Debtor’s PF due Creditor’s co-operation due

• Proper PF • Mora ex re or ex persona
Martin Harris v Qwa Qwa Reg
4
 BREACH OF CONTRACT
MORA CREDITORIS

CONSEQUENCES

Terminates Release of
mora Risk on sureties
debitoris creditor

Debtor still in Not freed by

breach for supervening Damages
period before! impossibility/ Election
damage

Uphold (primary) Cancel (extraordinary)

• Claim specific PF • Lex commissoria* or
• Exceptio non • Notice of rescission or
adimpleti contractus • Time is of essence