A Mercedes-Benz sedan belonging to Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is scheduled to be auctioned on September 14.
She has failed since last year to settle a R50000 debt to a King William’s Town garage which worked on her faulty engine.
The 1998 C180 Mercedes, used by the minister’s 96-year-old father, renowned academic DV Mapisa, will be sold to the highest bidder at the King William’s Town Motor Engineering premises in Buffalo Road after a court order to sell it was obtained in April.
The writ of execution was issued by the local magistrate’s court on April 26, with the company’s lawyers, Monaghan Attorneys, last week placing an advert of the planned auction in the media.
The company earlier approached the court over failure by the minister, or her pensioner father, to settle a bill that stood at R50563 by July 26 last year, plus interest, for the repairs effected in April 2016.
Mapisa-Nqakula had declined to settle the debt, saying she was never consulted before the work was done.
The vehicle is registered under her name, but has over the years been used by her Mdantsane-based father.
The company refused to comment, and instead referred questions to their attorney, Peter Monaghan, who could not be reached.
Late last year Monaghan told the Dispatch that Mapisa-Nqakula owed R50 563 to Motor Engineering.
Monaghan said that by the end of July 2016 the debt was already 78 days outstanding.
At that time they gave Mapisa-Nqakula seven days to make the payment or face her vehicle being auctioned.
Mapisa-Nqakula’s departmental spokeswoman Joy Peter yesterday refused to comment on the matter, saying it was private.
However, Peter has previously told the Dispatch that Mapisa-Nqakula refused to pay the bill as the mechanics had fixed the car without her consent.
At the time the minister accused them of acting in an “unacceptable” manner by not consulting her before conducting the repairs.
At the time 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,” Peter said. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Minister’s Mercedes set to go under hammer over R50k bill
She has failed since last year to settle a R50000 debt to a King William’s Town garage which worked on her faulty engine.
The 1998 C180 Mercedes, used by the minister’s 96-year-old father, renowned academic DV Mapisa, will be sold to the highest bidder at the King William’s Town Motor Engineering premises in Buffalo Road after a court order to sell it was obtained in April.
The writ of execution was issued by the local magistrate’s court on April 26, with the company’s lawyers, Monaghan Attorneys, last week placing an advert of the planned auction in the media.
The company earlier approached the court over failure by the minister, or her pensioner father, to settle a bill that stood at R50563 by July 26 last year, plus interest, for the repairs effected in April 2016.
Mapisa-Nqakula had declined to settle the debt, saying she was never consulted before the work was done.
The vehicle is registered under her name, but has over the years been used by her Mdantsane-based father.
The company refused to comment, and instead referred questions to their attorney, Peter Monaghan, who could not be reached.
Late last year Monaghan told the Dispatch that Mapisa-Nqakula owed R50 563 to Motor Engineering.
Monaghan said that by the end of July 2016 the debt was already 78 days outstanding.
At that time they gave Mapisa-Nqakula seven days to make the payment or face her vehicle being auctioned.
Mapisa-Nqakula’s departmental spokeswoman Joy Peter yesterday refused to comment on the matter, saying it was private.
However, Peter has previously told the Dispatch that Mapisa-Nqakula refused to pay the bill as the mechanics had fixed the car without her consent.
At the time the minister accused them of acting in an “unacceptable” manner by not consulting her before conducting the repairs.
At the time 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,” Peter said. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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