In re Cell C Proprietary Ltd.

571 B.R. 542, 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 2092, 64 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 115
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJuly 27, 2017
DocketCase No. 17-11735 (MG)
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 571 B.R. 542 (In re Cell C Proprietary Ltd.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Cell C Proprietary Ltd., 571 B.R. 542, 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 2092, 64 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 115 (N.Y. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AFTER RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN MAIN PROCEEDING PENDING IN THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA AND RECOGNITION AND ENFORCEMENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN SCHEME OF ARRANGEMENT

MARTIN GLENN UNITED, STATES BANKRUPTCY JUDGE

On July 14, 2017, this Court entered an order recognizing as a foreign main proceeding a case pending in the High Court of South Africa (the “South African Court”) commenced by Cell C Proprietary Limited (“Cell C”), the foreign debtor in [545]*545this Chapter 15 case. (ECF Doc. # 30.) On July 18, 2017, the South African Court approved, or “sanctioned,” the scheme of arrangement (“Arrangement”) that Cell C negotiated with, and was overwhelming approved by a vote of, certain classes of its financial creditors (“Compromise Creditors”). On July 20,2017, this Court entered an order recognizing and enforcing the Arrangement. (ECF Doc. # 48.) No objections were raised in this Court either to recognition of the South African Court proceeding as a foreign main proceeding or the recognition and enforcement of the Arrangement. This Opinion explains the reasons for the two orders entered by this Court.

Cell C’s foreign representatives filed an application (the “Application,” ECF Doc. # 7) for the entry of an order recognizing certain proceedings in South Africa as a foreign main proceeding, or in the alternative, as a foreign non-main proceeding. The Application was supported by the declaration of Paulo Pianezze (the “Pianezze Declaration,” ECF Doc. #9), a foreign representative in this case, along with Robert Killigrew Sabine Pasley, and Graham Mackinnon, who together are the “Foreign Representatives.” On July 3, 2017, the Foreign Representatives filed a supplemental declaration (the “Supplemental Declaration,” ECF Doc. # 21), indicating that the Compromise Creditors had voted overwhelmingly in favor of the proposed Arrangement. (See “Arrangement,” ECF Doc. # 9-3.) It also indicated that the South African Court was scheduled to hold a hearing on July 18, 2017, to determine whether to sanction the Arrangement. A separate declaration filed by Haroon Yusuf Laher (the “Laher Declaration,” ECF Doc. #. 8), counsel for the Foreign Representatives, provides additional detail on the nature of the ongoing proceedings in South Afinca (the “Section 155 Proceeding”). Laher filed a supplemental declaration (the “Second Laher Declaration,” ECF Doc. #27) on July 12, 2017, relating to the Edcon Holdings Limited case, cited below, specifically with respect to service of process in South Africa.

The Foreign Representatives also filed a motion (the “Comity Motion,” ECF Doc. # 11) to enter an order recognizing and granting comity for the South African Court’s order sanctioning the Arrangement (the “Sanction Order,” ECF Doe. # 81, Ex. A). As already stated, the South African Court granted the Sanction Order and approved the Arrangement on July 18, 2017; this Court granted the Comity Motion and recognized and enforced the Arrangement on July 20, 2017.

L BACKGROUND

A. Cell C’s Business

Cell C is the third largest of four mobile network operators in South Africa, and began commercial operations in November of 2001. (Application at 6.) Cell C is 100% owned by 3C Telecommunications Proprietary Limited (“3C Telecommunications”), a South African company. (Id. at 4.) 3C Telecommunications, in turn, is 75% owned by Oger Telecom Limited (“OTL”), a company registered in accordance with the laws of the Dubai International Financial Cen-tre in the United Arab Emirates. (Id. at 4-5.) Essentially all of Cell C’s operations and decision-making occurs in South Africa: Cell C is headquartered in South Africa, it is organized under the laws of South Africa, the majority of its employees and assets are located in South Africa, and substantially all of Cell C’s major customers are located in South Africa. (Id. at 6.)

Cell C offers mobile voice and data communication services and a range of devices to its customers, which include individuals, businesses, and the South African government. (Id.) Cell C’s major creditors include the Compromise Creditors and creditors [546]*546not affected by the Section 155 Proceeding. These other creditors are China Development Bank Corporation (“CDB”), the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (“ICBC”), Nedbank Limited (“Nedbank”), and Development Bank of Southern Africa Limited (“DBSA”). The Compromise Creditors, which are the holders of the Euro 400,000,000 8.625% first priority senior secured notes due 2018 (the “Euro Notes”) issued by Cell C, and governed by New York law pursuant to the underlying indenture (the “Indenture”). (Id. at 5; see also ECF Doc. ## 45, 49 (operative indenture and supplements).)

After pursuing an aggressive pricing strategy against its competitors for a few years, it became clear to Cell C in 2014 that additional equity would be required in the business. (Application at 7.) The company attempted to identify new sources for equity, either through an outright disposal of Cell C’s equity or through a combined transaction involving OTL and a new equity investor, but this process was ultimately unsuccessful. (Id. at 7-8.)

On November 20, 2016, Cell C failed to make a capital payment due to CDB, which was an event of default under the related facility agreement. (Id. at 8.) This default resulted in cross defaults under other facilities with ICBC, Nedbank, and DBSA. (Id.) On January 1, 2017, Cell C failed to pay an interest payment due to the Compromise Creditors. (Id.) Cell C then turned to the debt restructuring process provided for under South African law.

B. Section 155 of the Companies Act

The South African Companies Act 71 of 2008 (the “Companies Act”) at Section 155 provides for a process to approve an “arrangement” or “compromise” that may affect some or all of a company’s creditors. (Laher Declaration at 2.) In a Section 155 proceeding, the “debtor” or “applicant” proposes an arrangement to its affected creditors, the creditors vote on the arrangement, and if the requisite votes are obtained, the debtor petitions the South African Court for a “sanction order” approving, or “sanctioning,” the arrangement. (Id. at 2-3.)

To commence the compromise process, a board of directors of a company must propose a restructuring of its financial obligations to all of its creditors, or to all of the members of any class of its creditors, by delivering a copy of the compromise proposal and notice of the meeting to consider such proposal to all its creditors, or to every member of the relevant class of creditors and to the Companies and.Intellectual Property Commission1 (the “Commission”). (Id. at 3-4.)

The compromise proposal is deemed adopted by the creditors, or the members of a relevant class of creditors, if it is supported by a majority in number, representing more than 75% in value, of the creditors or class (as the case may be) present and vpting in person or by proxy at a meeting called for that purpose. (Id.) If the affected creditors duly adopt the compromise proposal, the company thereafter may apply to the South Africa Court for an order sanctioning the compromise. (Id.) The court may then sanction a compromise if the court considers it “just and equitable” to do so. (Id.)

Through the Section 155 Proceeding, Cell C sought to accomplish two main goals, utilizing both debt and equity restructuring mechanisms.

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571 B.R. 542, 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 2092, 64 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 115, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-cell-c-proprietary-ltd-nysb-2017.