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Wanatu denies reports that it was facing auction over R13 million debt

Wanatu denies reports that it was facing auction over R13 million debt

IOL News5 days ago
Afrikaans e-hailing service Wanatu denies rumours of auction following an alleged debt of R13m Wanatu Vehicles
Afrikaans-only e-hailing transport service Wanatu slammed rumours of the business closing due to R13 million debt, calling it misleading and false.
"We are aware that false news and misleading information are being circulated about Wanatu. If there is anything important to share, Wanatu will communicate directly with you through our official channels," it said in a social media post.
"We appreciate your continued support. We are still fully operational and ready to take you [everywhere]."
Wanatu was responding to media reports over the weekend that its cars would be auctioned off as creditors sought to recoup over R13 million in debt.
Wanatu was launched in October 2024.
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R3.2-billion Afrikaans-only university campus breaks ground
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The South African

time10 hours ago

  • The South African

R3.2-billion Afrikaans-only university campus breaks ground

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Mystery solved — ‘missing' Makana water pump found on Benoni factory floor
Mystery solved — ‘missing' Makana water pump found on Benoni factory floor

Daily Maverick

time3 days ago

  • Daily Maverick

Mystery solved — ‘missing' Makana water pump found on Benoni factory floor

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In her case against the municipality at the Local Government Bargaining Council, it was conceded that a partial or 'progressive' payment was made in terms of a service level agreement for the pump. Grobbelaar said that every now and then someone would come to see him and ask how much it would cost to buy the pump. 'Even the Gift of the Givers team was here at one stage,' he added. 'So if the municipality says the pump is missing, they are lying. I speak to their legal department almost every week. 'I don't want the pump and I can't really sell it to someone else. I really want my auditors off my back about it. I have a long email trail that shows you how I've tried.' After Daily Maverick started asking questions about the pump, Grobbelaar was invited to a meeting with the Makana Municipality on Wednesday, 6 August, but it was cancelled. The municipality, the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation and the Amatola Water utility, which sells bulk water to Eastern Cape municipalities, did not respond to requests for comment. Dire situation But the agendas for the municipality's infrastructure and engineering committee provide more disturbing facts. At the time of the tender for the pump being put out in June 2022, there had been more than 100 water outages in Makhanda in the first six months of the year. The pump was destined for the Howieson's Poort pumping station, which supplies water to the Waainek water treatment works. Waainek has a capacity of eight megalitres a day and serves the town area, the prison, hospitals and Rhodes University. Raw water is pumped to this system from the Howieson's Poort and Settlers dams. Lungile Mxube, a councillor for the Makana Citizens Front, laid a charge of fraud and corruption against the municipal manager and the mayor last week over the 'loss' of the pump. 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From June's agenda it appears that there could be more than one pump at Sulzer as there is a promise to sort out 'the Sulzer pumps', but this may just refer to the company's name. The latest available set of agendas for the infrastructure and engineering committee is for June. The Donnlee pump gets a mention in that the case is now with the municipality's legal department. In July, local activist Philip Machanick said it was clear that, after the Makana Business and Residents' Association asked for information on the whereabouts of the town's pumps, the council did not know. After city manager Pumelelo Kate had to depose an affidavit revealing where all the pumps were, he was forced to admit that the municipality had 'lost control' of some of its pumps. DM This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

Wanatu denies reports that it was facing auction over R13 million debt
Wanatu denies reports that it was facing auction over R13 million debt

The Star

time5 days ago

  • The Star

Wanatu denies reports that it was facing auction over R13 million debt

Afrikaans-only e-hailing transport service Wanatu slammed rumours of the business closing due to R13 million debt, calling it misleading and false . "We are aware that false news and misleading information are being circulated about Wanatu. If there is anything important to share, Wanatu will communicate directly with you through our official channels," it said in a social media post. "We appreciate your continued support. We are still fully operational and ready to take you [everywhere]." Wanatu was responding to media reports over the weekend that its cars would be auctioned off as creditors sought to recoup over R13 million in debt. Wanatu was launched in October 2024. Past legal actions against the City of Tshwane were reportedly introduced by Wanatu for impounding its vehicles for not having permits to operate. Wanatu's chief executive assured the public that the company will be "fighting for e-hailing driver rights in court". According to Wanatu, the transportation service aims to "restore dignity in our communities", and offers "job opportunities in Afrikaans", a statement which ruffled some feathers in the X and Facebook communities. After the alleged report on Wanatu's auction, X/Twitter user @UKwaneleMthalan shared that "starting a business that excludes the majority of the demographic is a gamble." They continued to say that "they will continue to learn the hard way."

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