An East London technical college has been forced by the court to close ahead of student registrations for failure to pay rent.
Sandton Technical College (Pty) Limited has been kicked out of the premises at 63 to 71 Oxford Street after just a year of occupation for failing to pay rent.
The property is owned by Mergence Africa Property Trust, whose trustees are Nyangeni Gumede, Brigitte de Bruyn, Izak Petersen and Brian Azizollahoff.
On November 5 2014, the trust entered into a contract with college representatives to lease the property between January 1 2015 and December 31 2017.
According to the trust, it was agreed that during 2015 the rent would be R35910 a month, which would increase to R39501 a month this year and to R43451.10 next year.
It was agreed that rent would be payable in advance on or before the first day of each calendar month.
The trust told the court they had fulfilled their end of the agreement by providing the premises but the college was not paying rent and was in arrears to the tune of R258547.37.
On behalf of the trust, the four approached the court asking for the college to be compelled to pay the amount and for them to be evicted from the premises.
The matter was unopposed in court and Judge Dawid van Zyl ruled in favour of the trust.
“It is ordered that interest on the amount at the legal rate of 9% per annum from the date of issue of summons to date of final payment. is ordered to vacate the leased premises,” Van Zyl said in the order.
Contacted for comment yesterday, campus manager Mark Muniina said he was not aware of a court case or default judgment against them.
The college principal, who only identified himself as John, said: “I have nothing from the court or the landlord about an eviction on my desk. I do not pay the bills so I do not know about the rent.”
Registration had been expected to start on February 1.
College told to close over rent arrears
Sandton Technical College (Pty) Limited has been kicked out of the premises at 63 to 71 Oxford Street after just a year of occupation for failing to pay rent.
The property is owned by Mergence Africa Property Trust, whose trustees are Nyangeni Gumede, Brigitte de Bruyn, Izak Petersen and Brian Azizollahoff.
On November 5 2014, the trust entered into a contract with college representatives to lease the property between January 1 2015 and December 31 2017.
According to the trust, it was agreed that during 2015 the rent would be R35910 a month, which would increase to R39501 a month this year and to R43451.10 next year.
It was agreed that rent would be payable in advance on or before the first day of each calendar month.
The trust told the court they had fulfilled their end of the agreement by providing the premises but the college was not paying rent and was in arrears to the tune of R258547.37.
On behalf of the trust, the four approached the court asking for the college to be compelled to pay the amount and for them to be evicted from the premises.
The matter was unopposed in court and Judge Dawid van Zyl ruled in favour of the trust.
“It is ordered that interest on the amount at the legal rate of 9% per annum from the date of issue of summons to date of final payment. is ordered to vacate the leased premises,” Van Zyl said in the order.
Contacted for comment yesterday, campus manager Mark Muniina said he was not aware of a court case or default judgment against them.
The college principal, who only identified himself as John, said: “I have nothing from the court or the landlord about an eviction on my desk. I do not pay the bills so I do not know about the rent.”
Registration had been expected to start on February 1.
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