Former workers sue BDP head honcho for debt
Lebogang Mosikare | Friday January 19, 2018 16:33
Medupi, who was once a specially elected councillor at Sowa Township council agreed to pay Mooketsi Balondi P1, 050 and costs being the money for cutting trees along Borolong road to Orapa junction in May 2017.
When Medupi appeared before Magistrate Kaveri Kapeko at the Small Claims Court on Wednesday, he agreed that indeed Balondi was his former employee and he owed him P1, 050 and not P1, 500 that Balondi mentioned in his court papers.
“We have however met and resolved the issue. We agreed that I would pay him P1,050 at the end of January. The court should also be mindful of the fact that I am using a new post office address, hence the letter of summons was misplaced at my old postal address,” said Medupi.
Balondi told the court that he was in agreement with what Medupi said. Kapeko ordered that Medupi pay Balondi his dues on or before January 31.
Thereafter, Medupi was involved in another payment imbroglio with David Madome.
According to Madome’s particulars of claim, Medupi owes him P7,150 being money for services rendered in respect of cutting trees and transporting Medupi’s employees along Borolong road to Orapa junction in April and May 2017.
In his documented evidence before court, Medupi said he did not agree with what Madome is claiming from him.
“What we agreed is that he help me with transporting workers who were clearing the bush for six kilometres. We agreed that I would be paying him P100 per day. He did that job for 36 days. I therefore owe him P3,600 but I have already paid him P2,000. I owe him P1,600. We agreed that I would be providing him with petrol, which I did. I owe him P1,600 and not P7,150 that he is claiming,” said Medupi in his papers.
However, when Madome addressed the court in person, he denied ever receiving any money from Medupi.
“I don’t know where he said he paid me. I told him for a long time to pay me, but he did not do that. I hired people for him and he promised to pay me for that but he did not keep that promise.
The people that I hired for Medupi are now angry with me. They are constantly demanding that I should pay them. I am now afraid that the people I hired on behalf of Medupi may end up torching my house since they are pestering me,” said a disconcerted Madome.
Medupi however quashed Madome’s claim.
“What the complainant had just said is not the truth. It is true that I agreed to pay him P100 per day which translates to P3,600 for the 36 days he worked. I also paid him P2,000 at Spar in Francistown. He was with one Bonny Julius when I paid him.
We never agreed that I would pay him P150 per day…I agree that there are people that I owe just like the gentleman who earlier appeared before this court. The court should note that I have partially paid my workers and they are left with balances,” said Medupi.
He added that he has won another tender in Letlhakane and he would use the proceeds from the tender to clear his arrears. Asked by Kapeko when will he be able to come to court with witnesses and documents for trial since Madome was disputing what he said, Medupi responded: “On February 14.”
However, Madome said he did not want Medupi to pay him until after the matter was decided after trial. Magistrate Kapeko however made an order that even if the case will go for trial on February 14, Medupi should come with P1,600 that he agreed he owed Madome.