Mthatha businessman Mzukisi Siyongwana wants a Sasol garage franchise owner to pay him at least R325 000 for loss of business and damages caused to his BMW after it was filled up with petrol instead of diesel.
The construction company owner wants garage owner Mava Mkhukhwana to fork out R180000 for what he claims he lost because he couldn’t go to his site in Qumbu and R145000 for the value of his 2013 BMW 320D model.
Siyongwana said that on March 19 he went to the Sasol garage at the corner of Sutherland and Chatham streets to fill his car with R400, but instead of pumping in diesel an attendant put in petrol.
Mkhukhwana said the garage had owned up to the mistake, paid for the petrol to be drained out and took it to an East London workshop that specialises in BMW.
Here it was discovered that the car had existing mechanical problems unrelated to the incident.
Because the diesel cap was clearly marked “diesel”, Siyongwana said he assumed the attendant would notice it.
It was only after a warning sign appeared on the car’s dashboard when he was in Gxulu village, about 15km from Mthatha that he realised something was wrong.
He said he took the car to a BMW dealership in Norwood, Mthatha where he was told the damage caused by the petrol to the engine was too severe and that the vehicle could not be fixed.
Three weeks ago, Siyongwana sent Mkhukhwana a lawyer’s letter of demand and gave him seven days to respond.
On Thursday, Mkhukhwana interdicted Siyongwana against threatening to publicly call on motorists to boycott his garage.
On Thursday, Siyongwana said the damage to his car had negatively affected his business.
“For every day I cannot visit my site in Qumbu I am penalised R5000 by the department of roads and public works. I am also losing out on other businesses because I do not have a car to drive to where I need to be,” he said.
But Mkhukhwana said when he took the car to German Technik, a BMW workshop in West Bank in East London, it was discovered that the car’s problems were mechanical and not caused by the fuel mix up.
The car’s steering rack and alternator were damaged, he said.
“This is a responsible business which is taking responsibility for what it has done, but the problems it has are not related to the diesel mix up and BMW can prove this.” — ndamasem@dispatch.co.za
Fuel bungle sparks blame row
The construction company owner wants garage owner Mava Mkhukhwana to fork out R180000 for what he claims he lost because he couldn’t go to his site in Qumbu and R145000 for the value of his 2013 BMW 320D model.
Siyongwana said that on March 19 he went to the Sasol garage at the corner of Sutherland and Chatham streets to fill his car with R400, but instead of pumping in diesel an attendant put in petrol.
Mkhukhwana said the garage had owned up to the mistake, paid for the petrol to be drained out and took it to an East London workshop that specialises in BMW.
Here it was discovered that the car had existing mechanical problems unrelated to the incident.
Because the diesel cap was clearly marked “diesel”, Siyongwana said he assumed the attendant would notice it.
It was only after a warning sign appeared on the car’s dashboard when he was in Gxulu village, about 15km from Mthatha that he realised something was wrong.
He said he took the car to a BMW dealership in Norwood, Mthatha where he was told the damage caused by the petrol to the engine was too severe and that the vehicle could not be fixed.
Three weeks ago, Siyongwana sent Mkhukhwana a lawyer’s letter of demand and gave him seven days to respond.
On Thursday, Mkhukhwana interdicted Siyongwana against threatening to publicly call on motorists to boycott his garage.
On Thursday, Siyongwana said the damage to his car had negatively affected his business.
“For every day I cannot visit my site in Qumbu I am penalised R5000 by the department of roads and public works. I am also losing out on other businesses because I do not have a car to drive to where I need to be,” he said.
But Mkhukhwana said when he took the car to German Technik, a BMW workshop in West Bank in East London, it was discovered that the car’s problems were mechanical and not caused by the fuel mix up.
The car’s steering rack and alternator were damaged, he said.
“This is a responsible business which is taking responsibility for what it has done, but the problems it has are not related to the diesel mix up and BMW can prove this.” — ndamasem@dispatch.co.za
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