, IRM1501 Assignment 2 Semester 1 2026 - DUE 17 April 2026; 100%
CORRECT AND TRUSTED SOLUTIONS
Case Summary — Edward Nathan Sonnenberg Inc v Hawarden
(421/2023) [2024] ZASCA 90; 2024 (5) SA 9 (SCA)
1. Facts of the Case (Background)
In May 2019, Ms Judith Mary Hawarden (“Hawarden”) purchased a
property from the Davidge Pitts Family Trust for R6 million. As part of
the transaction, she paid a deposit of R500 000 into the estate agent’s
trust account, after telephonically verifying the agent’s bank details as
instructed.
The balance of R5.5 million was due later in August 2019. The estate
agent, Pam Golding Properties (PGP), notified Hawarden of the
purchase and provided its banking details with warnings about the risks
of business email compromise (BEC) and advice to verify any emailed
banking details.
Thereafter, the Trust appointed Edward Nathan Sonnenberg Inc (ENS)
(“the law firm”) as the conveyancing attorneys responsible for
preparing transfer documents. ENS sent Hawarden a letter on 20
August 2019 containing the correct banking details for payment of the
balance, which was intercepted by a cyber-criminal without the
knowledge of either Hawarden or ENS.
On 21 August 2019, Hawarden received what she believed was an
email from an ENS employee providing the banking details. In reality,
the email had been altered by the hacker (a classic “man-in-the-middle”
CORRECT AND TRUSTED SOLUTIONS
Case Summary — Edward Nathan Sonnenberg Inc v Hawarden
(421/2023) [2024] ZASCA 90; 2024 (5) SA 9 (SCA)
1. Facts of the Case (Background)
In May 2019, Ms Judith Mary Hawarden (“Hawarden”) purchased a
property from the Davidge Pitts Family Trust for R6 million. As part of
the transaction, she paid a deposit of R500 000 into the estate agent’s
trust account, after telephonically verifying the agent’s bank details as
instructed.
The balance of R5.5 million was due later in August 2019. The estate
agent, Pam Golding Properties (PGP), notified Hawarden of the
purchase and provided its banking details with warnings about the risks
of business email compromise (BEC) and advice to verify any emailed
banking details.
Thereafter, the Trust appointed Edward Nathan Sonnenberg Inc (ENS)
(“the law firm”) as the conveyancing attorneys responsible for
preparing transfer documents. ENS sent Hawarden a letter on 20
August 2019 containing the correct banking details for payment of the
balance, which was intercepted by a cyber-criminal without the
knowledge of either Hawarden or ENS.
On 21 August 2019, Hawarden received what she believed was an
email from an ENS employee providing the banking details. In reality,
the email had been altered by the hacker (a classic “man-in-the-middle”
