A small family-owned car dealership in the Eastern Cape has won a significant legal victory against WesBank in a R1.36 million dispute involving a 2023 Ford Ranger.

The case centered on a customer who financed the vehicle through WesBank but defaulted after making only three payments before disappearing with the car.Investigations revealed the buyer, referred to as Mr Rocha, had used fraudulent documents to purchase the vehicle.

Instead of pursuing Rocha, WesBank sued the dealership and its owners, Ray and Nicole Neethling, alleging breach of contract for selling an unregistered vehicle.The high court in Gqeberha ruled against WesBank, stating the bank's losses stemmed from Rocha's fraud, not the dealership's actions.Judge Murray Lowe emphasized that while the dealership breached parts of its agreement, these breaches did not cause WesBank's financial loss.The court also rejected claims of fraud or negligence against the dealership, noting even WesBank's own investigators did not implicate them.

The case highlights the challenges small businesses face when confronting large financial institutions, with the dealership's owner, Ray Neethling, calling the victory a stand for integrity and reputation.WesBank has acknowledged the ruling but stated it is reviewing its options.