Cancelled Ballito Christmas market embroiled in controversy
The Umhlali police were called in today when the stall holders confronted the market's organisers.
The Ballito Christmas market was closed down today, on the fourth of the planned nine days, after the organisers were accused of conning about 150 exhibitors out of thousands of Rands in profit.
The much advertised market was being held in the old Umhlali Nissan building in the Umhlali Village.
Heated arguments broke out on Saturday morning between the exhibitors and the organisers, Heidi Garbade and Brenda Els, and the Umhlali SAPS were called in.
Despite being at the market daily in a position of authority, Els claims Garbade bought her out a month ago and she was only there to help.
The trouble apparently started with the market’s sales system whereby the takings were kept at a central till controlled by the organisers.
The exhibitors,who paid on average R1500 upfront each for their stalls, did not have their own credit card facilities and did not handle any cash so they struggled to monitor sales.
They claim Garbade did not give them daily updates on their sales, causing concern.
Exhibitors and organisers reportedly clashed from day one and some exhibitors withdrew from the market before the start of the weekend.
On the third day (Friday, December 18), Elsabé Booysen, an exhibitor from Pretoria, decided to check her stock against sales at the till and was shocked to discover that none of her long list of stock booked out appeared on the till slip.
The news spread through the already troubled market like wild fire and the chaos that erupted on Saturday morning put the final nail in the market’s coffin.
Some stallholders received a small portion of the money owed to them on Saturday but others are still waiting to be paid out.
Ballito businessman, Paul Naidoo, who owns the building, had not been paid the R10 000 rent due to him and on Saturday evening locked the doors after giving exhibitors a chance to pack up.
Umhlali SAPS warrant officer Afzal Hoosen said it was critical that exhibitors opened cases so that the commercial crimes unit could investigate.
He said only the commercial crimes unit could use forensic auditors to investigate.
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