Court To Auction South African ‘Billionaire’ Mandla Lamba’s Expensive Bikes After He Failed To Pay Employee
Self-proclaimed billionaire Dr Mandla Lamba’s electric-powered bikes will be sold at an auction in July after he failed to pay a former employee R750 000 as demanded by a court order.
Christa Brits, a former business development director at Lamba’s company Agilitee Africa, was awarded a Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) award of R750 000 after the court found that she was unfairly dismissed by the businessman.
Brits approached her lawyers from social justice group Solidarity after Lamba failed to pay her the money after she received the award on March 1 2022.
Solidarity obtained a writ of execution on behalf of Brits to attach Agilitee Africa’s belongings from its Fourways branch and sell them at an auction to recover Brits’ payout.
In a letter written to Lamba informing him about the auction, Solidarity informed the businessperson in February that his property will be attached if he fails to pay the money due to Brits.
The letter reads: “The arbitration award has subsequently been certified and is an order of court. Therefore, by not making the payment in accordance with same, you are in direct contravention of a court order.”
Lamba did not respond to the lawyers’ letters and continued advertising his business on social media pages and various online platforms.
The letter reads further: “In various social media posts and articles online, it is confirmed that the company is operating. There was also an article in which it was confirmed that the directors are billionaires. In the light of same, it is shocking that our member has not been paid in terms of a court order.”
The lawyers demanded that Lamba pay Brits her payout by March 1, but he did not adhere to their demands.
They attached Lamba’s office furniture and stock from his Fourways store including four office chairs, a reception desk, eight grey mini cy bikes, red mini cu bikes, white mini cu bike, and two crash helmets.
However, Lamba seems unbothered by losing his stock and continued to advertise his business on LinkedIn on Monday, stating that he is running a successful business empire.
He wrote: “We started an EV [electric vehicle] company as the first in Africa. They said we wouldn’t make it, five years later we are still here, debt-free and still rising.
“Now our work has been noticed by other big international EV companies and we have just clinched partnerships with five big Asian EV makers and two American EV makers, and we will now be responsible for their African rollout.
“The amazing part is that we didn’t approach them, they approached us and we are working with them on our own terms, now that’s boss.”
He added: “Every Agilitee dealership will be selling their products and every Emergen8 reginal satellite branch will be using their vehicles for deliveries and courier work.
“We are building a one-stop shop for EV in Africa where you will get all global EV brands from Agilitee along Agilitee EVs.
“It may take you five years, or 10 years and even 15 years, but eventually your time to rise will come. Our shareholders are smiling wherever they are.”
Brits approached the CCMA in 2022 after she was dismissed three months after joining Lamba’s company without following procedure.
Sunday World
