Husband loses court case over office affair

He alleged that the company was responsible for the pain and suffering that resulted from the affair because his wife met the man while working there

The High Court in Johannesburg dismissed a claim by a man who tried to sue FirstRand Bank after his wife allegedly fell in love with her colleague while working there, Beeld newspaper reported on Saturday.

“Mr [Ramnath] Dessie’s claim is, to say the least, bizarre. He argues that FirstRand is on one way or the other responsible for his pain and suffering as a result of his wife’s affair,” Judge Nigel Willis said.

“I know Johannesburg litigants can be imaginative, but this claim deserves a special prize. There is no such claim recognised in our common law.” 

Dessie Ramnath, brought an application to court and alleged that the bank was responsible for the pain and suffering that resulted from the affair because his wife met the man while working at the bank.

Willis dismissed the claim and ordered Dessie to pay the bank’s legal costs.

“I am not completely sure that in this country we would allow people to claim damages because people fall in love at work,” Willis said.

“This happens all the time. It has happened, and will no doubt continue to happen until the cows come home.” 

He said it was nothing new to hear “weird” cases in the High Court in Johannesburg.

“There should be a motto, ex curia Johannesburgensis semper aliquid novi: out of the Johannesburg High Court there is always something new,” Willis said.