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CIV\APN\165\91 IN THE HIGH COURT OF LESOTHO

In the matter between:

LESOTHO POULTRY CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY Applicant

and

THE
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE 1st Respondent

THE
REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVES 2nd Respondent

THE
ATTORNEY-GENERAL 3rd Respondent

JUDGMENT

Delivered by the Honourable Mr. Justice J.L. Kheola on
the 28th day of June, 1991

The order has already been granted declaring that the
special general meeting of the Lesotho Poultry Co-operative Society
Ltd., convened
by the first and\or second respondents for the 29th
June, 1991 is unlawful and the respondents are interdicted from
proceeding therewith
or calling a similar meeting. Costs were awarded
to the applicant.

The facts of the case are that by a letter dated the
12th April, 1991 the second respondent wrote to the applicant and the
constituent
members of the society, a federal body, advising them
that the first respondent had directed the Registrar of Co­operatives
to
convene a special general meeting of the applicant to

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be held on the 29th June, 1991 in Maseru for the purpose
of electing a new Executive Committee for the applicant. The
Registrar of
Co-operatives stated that the first respondent was
acting in terms of the powers conferred upon him by section 10 of the
Co-operatives
(Protection) Act No 10 of 1966 (The Act).

In his founding affidavit Makhaola Nkau Lerotholi who is
the chairman of the applicant avers that the powers conferred on the
first
respondent by section 10 are restricted to the bona fide
purpose of ensuring that a society performs a function that it
has omitted to perform in terms of the law. The section is intended
to enable such meeting to hold discussions not to conduct elections.

In his opposing affidavit Ernest Pakiso Moeketsi who is
the Registrar of Co-operatives avers that section 10 of the Act
states that
the first respondent can direct as to what has to be
discussed in a special general meeting.

It is convenient at this stage to look at the provisions
of section 10 of the Act which read as follows:

"(1) The Minister may at any time,
notwithstanding any rule or by-law prescribing the period of notice
for a general meeting
of a registered society, order the Registrar to
convene and preside over a special general meeting in such manner and
at such

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time and place as the Minister may direct, and the
Minister may specify what matters shall be discussed at such a
meeting. (My underlining)

(2) A meeting convened under subsection (1) shall have
all

the powers of a general meeting convened in accordance
with the by-laws of the registered society concerned.

(3) In the case of a special general meeting referred
to
in subsection (1), the Registrar -

(a) shall be entitled to direct the meeting

to proceed, notwithstanding the absence of a quorum as
prescribed in the by-laws of the registered society concerned; and

(b) shall not be entitled to vote except on

an equality of votes in which case he shall have a
casting vote.

(4) The Registrar may delegate to any person any or
all
of the powers conferred on him by this section."

It seems to me that the first respondent is empowered by
section 10 of the Act to convene a special general meeting and he is
given
a discretion to specify what matters shall be discussed at such
a meeting. In other words the meeting is intended for the holding
of
a discussion by the people who have been invited. The word "discuss"
involves some debate or to examine by argument

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whatever matter has been specified by the first
respondent. He is not empowered to direct what is going to happen at
such a meeting
as he has done by ordering that elections of the
Executive Committee shall take place at such a meeting. I think what
he ought to
have said was that at such special general meeting a
discussion shall be held concerning the holding of an election of the
new Executive
Committee. He cannot dictate to the members as to what
shall be done at such as meeting but can and is empowered to dictate
a to
what shall be discussed. Specifying that an election of members
of the Executive Committee shall be done at such a meeting does not
mean any discussion at all. I am of the opinion that the first
respondent acted contrary to the powers conferred upon him by section
10 of the Act. His action is null and void.

I did state that if the first respondent intended to get
rid of the Executive Committee of the applicant he could have
resorted to
section 11 (1) and (2) of the Act which provide that -

"(1) If the Minister is of the opinion that the
committee of a registered society is not performing its duties
properly, he
may after giving an opportunity to the committee to
state its objections to the Registrar, and after considering those
objections,
(a) take no action, or (b) dissolve the committee by
order in writing and appoint a suitable person or persons to

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manage the affairs of the society for a specified period
not exceeding two years:

Provided that the period specified in such order may, at
the discretion of the Minister, be extended from time to time: but so
that
the order shall not remain in force for more than four years in
the aggregate. (2) If such an order is made in terms of subsection
(1)

the Minister shall by the same or subsequent order

appoint one or more fit and proper persons to manage and
administer the affairs of the society and may from time to time
remove or
replace any person or persons so appointed."

Regarding subsection 2 of section 10 of the Act it is
unfortunate that the parties did not find it necessary to provide the
Court
with a copy of the by-laws of the applicant. It was necessary
to do so in order to enable the Court to know what the powers of a
general meeting are.

In the result the application was granted as prayed with
costs.

J.L. KHEOLA

JUDGE
12th September, 1991.

For
Applicant - Mr. Sello

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For
Respondents - Mr. Putsoane.