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DEJECTED: Thulane and Ivy Kumalo say they are still waiting to be refunded R100,000

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A TSHWANE attorney is accused of acting in cahoots with two estate agents accused of defrauding a couple under false pretences.

Thulane and Ivy Kumalo also claimed that the Law Society and the Estate Agency Affairs Board had failed them because they did not investigate their case when it was brought to their attention. They still don't have any answers as to why the attorney cannot refund them their money when their deal to purchase a home went awry.

The Kumalos were interested in purchasing a home through agents, Nomsa Mashego and Joyce Morgan, both of whom were employed by estate agency Century 21. Kumalo was referred to Century 21 by his cousin.

The Kumalos claim they met the two agents at a nearby takeaway outlet, where they signed their offer to purchase on the boot of their car, they said.

A few days later Mashego and Morgan apparently told them the house was part of an insolvent estate and they needed a 20% deposit.

The Kumalos then raised the deposit of R100,000 and deposited it into the trust account of Morris Makase Attorneys as instructed.

"As first-time buyers we did not know the process but we trusted them as they had successfully sold one (house) to my cousin," said Kumalo.

The house was on sale for R500,000 but the banks could only approve a loan to the Kumalos for far less than the purchase amount.

The Kumalos said they were not aware of this as the banks only communicated with the agents.

"Besides, the loan application forms only had the agents' contact details on them," said Kumalo. They said they had had no feedback from the agents for two months.

"The only consolation was that their attorney had sent us a letter acknowledging receipt of our R100,000," said the couple.

The couple reported their grievances to Mashego and Morgan's employer, only to discover they were not the only victims and that the pair had already been dismissed.

The couple said Century 21 spokeswoman, Kate Touch, also informed them that her firm had no business relationship with Makase Attorneys and that her company had no property on sale in Springs.

Thinking their money was safe in the attorney's trust account, the couple requested a refund.

"The attorney told us he does not know us. He told us he never had any working relationship with us, nor did he meet or consult us about any transaction," said the Kumalos.

Makase Attorneys, however, told Consumer Line they had refunded the Kumalos their money.

The attorneys said they had to redraft a sales agreement which had additional clauses. Makase Attorneys said they later refunded the couple their money after the couple reported the firm to the Law Society, police and a newspaper.

Makase did not say how much was allegedly refunded to the couple, but said he was also entitled to his legal fees.

But the Kumalos have denied being refunded by the attorney.

Sowetan is also in possession of a copy of his (the attorney's) letter he had sent to the Law Society. In it he tells the Law Society of Northern Province that he never had any dealings with the Kumalos.

Comments

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Mon May 20 03:43:03 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 25, 2012

malemaforpresident

Nxaaa mara who are we going to trust in this world starting from our own President to new born babies
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Jun 25, 2012

ThrippleGee

Attorneys cannot be Trusted too neh....
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Jun 25, 2012

nwamathebula01

nxaaaaaa!!!!!!!!
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Jun 25, 2012

Dzel

Why does it feel like every time when one goes into a business deal no dar.kie the probability that you are going to get kno.cked off is high? Last year my sister went through the same thing with an attorney who asked for a deposit and then did a runner on her, eventually the Law Society had to reimburse her funds and that after she had sought legal assistance from LegalWise. My aunt also went through something similar though the estate agent was the cu.lprit.
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Jun 25, 2012

Tango

What a nice young couple
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Jun 25, 2012

Real-Mogwanthi

I love the wife...lol
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Jun 25, 2012

9janavy

Lawyers and Estates are the worst crooks in South Africa.Thulane and Ivy Kumalo contact us at sathehardway@gmail.com .We will get your money back in full within 20 days.We use "effective" methods and we charge a 20% commission of the amount we recover.
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Jun 25, 2012

Bra_NeatDick

Tango
What a nice young couple
_____________________

I see a beautiful lady sitting with an Ape. m not sure if an Ape is nice or the lady is making the ape to look nice.

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Jun 25, 2012

eisleben

A bunch of sickos, that is what we all are. The attorneys may be worse compared to us but we are just as bad. The poor couple have been defrauded of R100K and all you guys can see is a beautiful woman in the picture. The entire story means nothing to you. Schadenfreude at its best. I bet if some of our sick male readers new where the couple work or reside they would be chasing after ‘the nice woman’ knowing the pains they are going through. Hitting on your neighbour when they are at their most vulnerable is just as heartless as daylight robbery. Sies, guys.
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Jun 25, 2012

Mokwepa

Dzel
your family dont learn..your sister and later your aunt. you are next even after reading this.
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