Joburg CEO Losses R4M Worth of Fine Art After Failing to Pay Sandton Gallery; "an Absolute Con" Owner Slams
- A Johannesburg CEO's history of non-payment has finally come to a head after the sheriff came knocking at his Sandhurst home
- About R4 million worth of fine artwork was seized from the founder and CEO of DNG Energy, Aldworth Mbalati
- The CEO was evicted from the R35 million Sandhurst home last week for failing to follow through on a purchase offer made in 2021
PAY ATTENTION: Let yourself be inspired by real people who go beyond the ordinary! Subscribe and watch our new shows on Briefly TV Life now!
JOHANNESBURG - The founder and CEO of DNG Energy, Aldworth Mbalati, ran into some trouble on Thursday, 1 December, when about R4 million worth of fine art was seized from his Sandhurst home.
Source: UGC
The seized items included 50 pieces of fine art ranging from paintings and sculptures to woven works, which were commissioned from the Candice Berman Gallery in May 2022.
Speaking to Daily Maverick, the art gallery owner, Candice Berman, described Mbalati as a con. Berman decried:
“What a very well-spoken gentleman he is!... But what a con! What an absolute con!"
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
As Berman tells the story, the CEO was referred to her gallery by a prolific interior designer who had done approximately R14 million worth of interior design and renovations at the Sandhurst home. Impressed with Mbalati's seeming deep pockets Berman took him on as a client.
After the artwork was commissioned, the purchase was confirmed, and the invoice was delivered, but Mbalati failed to pay the Candice Berman Gallary a single cent for the work done. Seven months on, the gallery owner was forced to involve the sheriff and the courts to recoup what was rightfully hers.
According to TimesLIVE, this is not the first time Mbalati has been taken to the courts for non-payment. Last week, the DNG energy CEO was evicted from the R35 million home after failing to follow through with the purchase offer made in January 2021.
It is also reported that Mbalati's pattern of non-payment extended to DNG Energy, where he failed to pay workers and suppliers.
The publication reported that the habit of non-payment often ended with workers being unable to support their families, pay school fees, and some being evicted from their homes.
City of Joburg and ANC blamed each other after Avis repossessed 2 500 rented cars used in metro
In another story, Briefly News reported that car rental company Avis repossessed a fleet 2 500 vehicles rented by the City of Johannesburg allegedly due to non-payment. While the metro is blaming the African National Congress for the repossession, the ANC is pointing the finger at the city in return.
The spokesperson for the MMC for group corporate and shared services, Mitchell Mckinley, said the contract between Avis and the city was deemed irregular in 2020 and has been subject to an ongoing investigation.
Mckinley added that the multi-party coalition introduced a motion to ensure the city would keep the fleet until the investigation was finalised. The spokesperson claimed that the motion was thwarted when the ANC caucus in Joburg voted it down, EWN reported.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!
Source: Briefly News
