Sheriff pays another visit to chambers
It was nothing new for the sheriff of the town to waltz through the doors of Thaba Chweu Municipality to write up items for outstanding debt.
LYDENBURG – It was nothing new for the sheriff of the town to waltz through the doors of Thaba Chweu Municipality to write up items for outstanding debt.
What was, however shocking, is that in one day TCM received no less than two summonses and a notice of attachment for unpaid accounts.
An insider at the municipality said that the summonses delivered to TCM were for moneys outstanding amounting to R187 500 and R167 200 respectively.
“TCM is an entity with legal capacity being sued in terms of the Municipal Systems Act, Act No 32 of 2000. It is no secret that this municipality cannot honour commitments. Promises of payment are made left, right and centre, but when push comes to shove, the debtors have no other choice but to gain legal assistance in order to receive payment,” the source said.
The High Court of South Africa issued a notice of attachment on the same day instructing the sheriff to lay claim to moveable goods to the value of R46 566,59.
Steelburger/Lydenburg News received a tip-off that the sheriff was busy laying claim to moveable goods at the municipality.
In November last year the newspaper reported that another company had also by the means of a notice led to the sheriff writing up 17 vehicles. This included the mayoral vehicle, several tractors, trucks and bakkies.
This is now the fourth time in six months that claim had been laid against moveable goods at TCM.
On the newspapers arrival the sheriff was busy writing up a lounge suit in the corridors of the municipality. The newspaper was reliably informed that claim was also laid to 20 computers, a Nissan NP 200 bakkie and a Corsa bakkie.
Steelburger/Lydenburg News sent through queries regarding the attachment of the goods and the summonses received. The newspaper asked to be informed whether TCM was even aware that the sheriff laid claim to the assets and whether the outstanding amounts would be paid in due course.
The newspaper made it clear that this has been the fourth time that moveable goods and assets have been written up for execution.
It also asked to be informed whether there was a payment plan in place and how TCM was going to prevent future attachments such as the two summonses being issued.
TCM did not respond to any of the queries. The said attached items have not yet been removed from the municipality. It is not certain if the goods will be sold on public auction or whether TCM will somehow pay the outstanding debtors.
