Court rescinds R1.25m payout in Hank's Olde Irish Pub racism matter
The Western Cape High Court rescinded a default judgment granted against Christopher Logan, which ordered him to pay damages in the amount of R1.25 million to Hanks Olde Irish Pub on Bree Street after accusing the establishment of racism.
Judge Nathan Erasmus handed down the ruling on Monday.
Application
Logan filed the rescission application in December last year, nullifying the default judgment handed down in November 2024.
He must file his notice of intention to defend the main actions on Thursday.
'The third defendant (John Papadakis) in the action is to file a plea by 11 September, and the plaintiffs are to file replications, if any, by 2 October 2025. Cost is to stand for later determination,' Erasmus ruled.
ALSO READ: Cape Town pub apologises after racist incident goes viral [VIDEO]
Alleged racism
The matter stems from a 2022 incident in which Logan called out the pub for an alleged racist incident in a video that went viral and was widely circulated on social media platforms.
In the clip, Christopher Logan, a friend of the alleged victim, Thabiso Danca, was seen confronting the owner of Hank's Olde Irish pub after Danca was allegedly denied entrance to the establishment.
At the time, Danca claimed the bouncer said Hank's had a right of admission policy that stated he needed to be accompanied 'by a white person' to enter the pub.
Court action
Papadakis approached the courts to clear his name and that of his brother and sue for loss of income due to the negative publicity the pub was getting.
The court ordered Logan to pay R500 000 to Papadakis' business as special damages for loss of income, R250 000 as general damages to the business, and R250 000 to each of the owners as general damages – all with interest.
However, Logan failed to enter an appearance to defend, and an application for a default judgment was enrolled for hearing.
Defence
In a statement, Logan said the original default judgment was granted without him having had the opportunity to present his defence or be heard in court.
'I was never given a fair hearing or the chance to respond to the allegations.
'Today, the court recognised this injustice and set aside the default judgment in its entirety. This confirms that the process followed in granting that order was incorrect and that every person is entitled to their constitutional right to a fair hearing before such serious findings are made,' Logan said.
Relief
Logan said the judgment comes as a 'huge relief.'
'This is an important step forward, not just for me, but for the principle of fairness in our justice system. The motivation throughout this matter has stayed the same, I love my friend, Thabiso, and hate racism.'
Logan now lives in the US.
ALSO READ: EFF closes Hank's Olde Irish Pub in Cape Town amid racism claims
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