Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is embroiled in a legal battle with a King William’s Town panel beater over an unpaid bill for repairs to her Mercedes-Benz.
The car will now be sold by King William’s Town Motor Engineering to recover the R50 000 bill Mapisa-Nqakula refuses to pay.
But in her defence, the minister said she refused pay the money as the panel beaters fixed the car without her consent.
The car is registered in the minister’s name but, according to her spokeswoman Joy Peter, it was being used by her 95-year-old father.
Motor Engineering has instructed their lawyer Peter Monaghan to facilitate the sale of Mapisa-Nqakula’s 1998 Mercedes-Benz C180 after they did some work on its engine, for which they were not paid.
According to Monaghan, Mapisa-Nqakula owes R50563 to Motor Engineering.
“I cannot give you details of what was initially wrong with the car or what job was done exactly,” Monaghan said.
“The invoice says it was to remove and replace the engine. There are various other things that were done as well.”
It is not clear how many times the company demanded money from the minister before turning the matter over to their legal team.
The company took out an advert last Saturday, which reads in part: “The goods listed hereunder in the possession of King William’s Town Motor Engineering will be sold to defray costs if not paid for and collected within seven days of the publication of this notice”.
According to the September issue of the Auto Dealers’ Guide, the 1998 Mercedes Benz C180 has a book value of R39100 while the classic automatic has a book value of R41000.
The Dispatch could not establish whether Mapisa-Nqakula’s vehicle is manual or automatic.
Said Monaghan: “As at July 26, it was 78 days outstanding. If the car is not paid for within seven days of the publishing of the advert, King William’s Town Motor Engineering will approach the court to get permission to the sell the vehicle.”
But Mapisa-Nqakula’s spokeswoman came out guns blazing, accusing the panel beaters of acting in an “unacceptable” manner by not consulting her before conducting the repairs.
“The minister was not even aware that the car had been taken in for repairs. Not even a quote was sent to her,” Peter said.
“They did not even have the decency to contact her in advance for approval or to inform her that the car is in their possession.
“The car is used by the minister’s father and she only heard about the repairs when she received an invoice.”
Peter added that “as a matter of principle” Mapisa-Nqakula would not pay the money.
“The minister has always been clear that they can sell it if they want to. Their behaviour was questionable and she is not moved by the fact that they say they will sell it.
“The ‘repairers’ acted in bad faith from the get-go, especially when one considers the age of minister’s father,” Peter said.
She further added that Mapisa-Nqakula’s father did not even know where the car was.
This week Motor Engineering declined to comment, saying the matter was being dealt with by their lawyers to ensure that “due processes are followed” and referred all questions to their attorney.
Mapisa-Nqakula is originally from NU3 in Mdantsane.
She is no stranger to controversy, with President Jacob Zuma currently “considering the matter” involving the minister in the alleged “smuggling” of a Burundian national – without proper documentation – into the country using a state-owned jet, in January 2014. — siyab@dispatch.co.za
Minister ignores EC debt
The car will now be sold by King William’s Town Motor Engineering to recover the R50 000 bill Mapisa-Nqakula refuses to pay.
But in her defence, the minister said she refused pay the money as the panel beaters fixed the car without her consent.
The car is registered in the minister’s name but, according to her spokeswoman Joy Peter, it was being used by her 95-year-old father.
Motor Engineering has instructed their lawyer Peter Monaghan to facilitate the sale of Mapisa-Nqakula’s 1998 Mercedes-Benz C180 after they did some work on its engine, for which they were not paid.
According to Monaghan, Mapisa-Nqakula owes R50563 to Motor Engineering.
“I cannot give you details of what was initially wrong with the car or what job was done exactly,” Monaghan said.
“The invoice says it was to remove and replace the engine. There are various other things that were done as well.”
It is not clear how many times the company demanded money from the minister before turning the matter over to their legal team.
The company took out an advert last Saturday, which reads in part: “The goods listed hereunder in the possession of King William’s Town Motor Engineering will be sold to defray costs if not paid for and collected within seven days of the publication of this notice”.
According to the September issue of the Auto Dealers’ Guide, the 1998 Mercedes Benz C180 has a book value of R39100 while the classic automatic has a book value of R41000.
The Dispatch could not establish whether Mapisa-Nqakula’s vehicle is manual or automatic.
Said Monaghan: “As at July 26, it was 78 days outstanding. If the car is not paid for within seven days of the publishing of the advert, King William’s Town Motor Engineering will approach the court to get permission to the sell the vehicle.”
But Mapisa-Nqakula’s spokeswoman came out guns blazing, accusing the panel beaters of acting in an “unacceptable” manner by not consulting her before conducting the repairs.
“The minister was not even aware that the car had been taken in for repairs. Not even a quote was sent to her,” Peter said.
“They did not even have the decency to contact her in advance for approval or to inform her that the car is in their possession.
“The car is used by the minister’s father and she only heard about the repairs when she received an invoice.”
Peter added that “as a matter of principle” Mapisa-Nqakula would not pay the money.
“The minister has always been clear that they can sell it if they want to. Their behaviour was questionable and she is not moved by the fact that they say they will sell it.
“The ‘repairers’ acted in bad faith from the get-go, especially when one considers the age of minister’s father,” Peter said.
She further added that Mapisa-Nqakula’s father did not even know where the car was.
This week Motor Engineering declined to comment, saying the matter was being dealt with by their lawyers to ensure that “due processes are followed” and referred all questions to their attorney.
Mapisa-Nqakula is originally from NU3 in Mdantsane.
She is no stranger to controversy, with President Jacob Zuma currently “considering the matter” involving the minister in the alleged “smuggling” of a Burundian national – without proper documentation – into the country using a state-owned jet, in January 2014. — siyab@dispatch.co.za
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