Judgment reserved in WP's liquidation application

It could be weeks before Western Province (Pty) Limited's application for liquidation is finalised, after judgment was reserved in the Cape Town High Court yesterday.

The commercial arm of the Western Province Rugby Football Union has been involved in a bitter battle with Cape Town marketing and media company Aerios, which has opposed the liquidation.

Aerios entered into an advertising deal with WP in 2011 that gave it commercial rights at Newlands Stadium.

It believes the liquidation is an attempt by the union to get out of the deal, calling it a "red herring".

Reports indicate that Aerios had a claim of more than R70-million outstanding from WP.

Aerios CEO Costas Constantinou said that even if WP's attempt to liquidate was successful, it was not a get-out-of-jail card and would only damage the rugby union's reputation.

"We believe in the case we put forward and in the judicial system. We will now await the court's decision," Constantinou said.

Aerios lawyer Chris Eloff said that a provisional liquidation order would remain in place.

He said that no dates were set for the judgment.

"The judge could either discharge it or confirm it, but there is no indication when that will be.

"It could be weeks or more, we just don't know," Eloff said.

Western Province president Thelo Wakefield would not comment, saying only that he was waiting to speak to the union's CEO, Paul Zacks, about the matter.