Vintage dodge

It’s not a vintage Merc in the photo with Jacques Nell and Mathews Phosa in nose163, but a cheap kit car. Check the Volksie indicator on the front wing! The man has appalling taste as well as dodgy ethics.

Patrick
By email

Something more to worry about

OMG, something more to worry about. Now we have heavy metals from Sasol’s potential use of its biosludge as “organic” compost. One fears that buying anything grown up north could make us very sick, if not kill us. Worse was the news of radioactive acid mine drainage seeping into our water supply (up north again) and filtering into our food chain. Have these companies no shame? Is it all about money?

Jo Maxwell
Pinelands

Drag act’s repeat performance 

In response to the article “Drag act”, (nose161) I have a case against CMH  Nissan that is four years old and headed for the high court.

I had a 180,000km service done at Gateway Toyota, Umhlanga. They failed to notice the rotten cam belt, which snapped two weeks later causing R12,000 in damage but Gateway refused to pay. I took my case to Toyota SA and after “thoroughly investigating” they found the cam belt was “fine”.

I then went to the Motor Industry Ombudsman. Gateway responded nine months later. The ombudsman, incredibly, found nothing wrong and dismissed the complaint. So we went to the Small Claims Court and won a default judgment because Gateway failed to appear.

Gateway Toyota did not pay and a section 65 notice was issued. Risking arrest, they appeared for that case and applied to have the judgment rescinded, claiming they had not appeared as no summons had been served. I managed to get an affidavit from the sheriff stating that it had been served – yet the the rescission was still granted.

I will present a copy of Noseweek to the high court as evidence of CMH’s policy of dragging the customer along.

Thank you for a great magazine.

Neresh Makan
Durban

MBD pounces on another old debt

Please assist; my domestic worker has received threatening messages, SMSes and a letter of demand from MBD Securitisation (see various past Noseweeks ) for debt incurred 18 years ago.

She has no details and can only remember buying a watch (R999.00) on the instruction of her husband, since deceased. She thinks this is the debt, but is not sure. She paid an amount of R300.00 in December, after numerous threats from Thandini to call her employer (me) to get her fired and jailed and blacklisted.

I got involved after taking the phone from her earlier this month and asking for details and a copy of the contract. Instead I received a letter of demand and on a second request, a copy of their general ledger which is out of balance.

My employee does not have the means to pay this amount or seek legal advice and only paid out of fear because of Thandini’s threats. She is not even sure if she signed the contract – copies of which I am still awaiting.

I realise the debt has prescribed. Can you assist, please? When googling for assistance, I came across your website. You are clearly the watchdog we need.

M S Marais
Via Noseweek’s  website

We are overrun by such complaints, and simply don’t have the capacity to deal with all of them. We are a news magazine and not a legal aid or advice bureau! But we try our best to help, when the issues are of wider public interest, as this one continues to be.

We demand of the authorities: when are you going to put a stop to this disgustingly exploitative business? – Ed.

Key information needed

Apparently nearly 300 places have been declared National Key Points and Strategic Installations. Is there a list? It makes sense if airports, power stations, refineries etc qualify, but it would be interesting to learn what else (apart from Nkandla) has been designated. Maybe Gupta’s curry emporium?

Thank you for an informative journal.

Penny Tindall
By email

Copyright © 2021 www.noseweek.co.za