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Failure to grease palms costs man catering gig on film project

Failure to pay "thank you money" has cost a businessman a lucrative catering contract he had clinched with a film production company.

Tumi Pookgoadi, 43, of Rosebank, says he was approached by a man who is an associate of the owner of the film company who told him about a film on Shaka Zulu that the company would be shooting in KwaZulu-Natal, starting today .

He says the man told him the production needed someone to provide catering for them during filming.

Pookgoadi says he was later introduced to the owner of the film company who offered him R6-million for the duration of the project.

In terms of the contract, Pookgoadi was to receive half of the amount by October 19, but his contract was verbally terminated after he failed to pay "thank you money" to the tune of R300000, he says.

Pookgoadi says he is not opposed to thanking people who help him get contracts, but normally does so out of the goodness of his heart and not because he is compelled to do so.

The father of three says the owner of the film company issued him with a fictitious invoice indicating that he had also provided film equipment for a shoot that had taken place on October 12, the date on which he signed the contract.

The amount was to be paid into the film company owner's Standard Bank account.

Pookgoadi says it is immoral and unethical to compel a person to pay a gratitude amount upfront.

"This sounds like extortion as they have decided to can my catering contract after I refused to pay this amount upfront," he says.

He says he now fears for his life as the associate of the owner of the film company has threatened him.

"He told me he is from exile and could be very dangerous."

He says he was threatened after Consumer Line had contacted the owner of the company and his associate for comment.

"I want to warn others not to be coerced into paying any money to such people upfront as they might be swindled in the process," says Pookgoadi.

However, the owner of the company denied extorting money or issuing a receipt demanding payment of R300000 from Pookgoadi.

He denied running a scam, but could not disclose who was funding his project.

"I don't know what is he trying to do because if I wanted an upfront payment I would not have given him a contract," he said.

"This does not make sense and I would sue him for defamation of character."

He said the invoice had been unlawfully prepared by his associate, whom he accused of tarnishing his name and trying to take advantage of him "because he knows my banking details".

The associate denied the charge.

He said the invoice had been prepared by the film company's owner after Pookgoadi had offered to pay them the money.

"Kufanele enze loku esithi akakwenze ayeke ukuya emaphepheni, [he must pay the money instead of running to the newspaper]," he said.

He also denied threatening Pookgoadi and said he would convene a meeting with the procurement department of the Department of Arts and Culture that would decide whether to continue with Pookgoadi's contract or not.

Contacted for comment, Madimetja Moleba of the department denied they were funding the project.