EPCM Consultants has escaped liquidation by the skin of its teeth.
Its former lawyers, Van Greunen and Associates (VGA), had filed the motion for liquidation in the Johannesburg High Court to recover unpaid debt but at the eleventh hour, on Thursday, the parties settled.
In the papers Sunday World has seen, VGA claimed that the company, a subsidiary of multinational EPCM Holdings, had not paid for services rendered.
Last week, Sunday World reported that directors of sister company EPCM Bonisana, a BEE wing of the same multinational, are embroiled in an all-out battle after its fronting scheme collapsed.
Ebrahim Patel and Nicole Patel allege that they were used only as black fronts to help the firm score BEE tenders, and want to remove two of their white co-directors for denying them access to business documents they need to value the shares they want to offload.
Today, we can reveal that VGA, a Pretoria-based law firm, filed a motion in the Johannesburg High Court demanding EPCM Consultants be liquidated for failing to honour a bill of more than R148 000 since 2023.
The hearing is scheduled for August 11.
On June 30, VGA founding director Johan van Greunen deposed an affidavit that EPCM Consultants owed his firm R148 801, asking the court to liquidate the company.
“On or about 30 October 2023, the parties entered into a written agreement… in terms of which the applicant (VGA) would render certain professional legal services on behalf of the respondent (EPCM Consultants)” writes Van Greunen.
He pointed out that VGA would periodically invoice the company owned by Thomas Cowan, Dirk Odendaal, Willem Palmer, Carlien Pretorius,
Erick Putter and Beverly Dickerson. But it cocked a snook at the lawyers and refused to pay the almost R320 000 owed.
Van Greunen flipped his wig when he realised that VGA was not the only EPCM creditor.
He said VGA became aware that the respondent was severely indebted: Invested Bank is owed R84-million in debt, Southern Palace by Harbour Bay almost R13-million, while another R23,6-million hung over its head for sureties signed.
All creditors had already written letters of demand for what they were owed as far back as 2023.
Sunday World could not establish if these bills have also been settled.
“When considering the above, it is evident that the respondent had, at this time, exposure to its creditors in the capital amount of R119 957, 359, which debts the respondent was unable to settle as and when they become due, necessitating these creditors to initiate legal proceedings for the recovery of the amounts due to them,” writes Van Greunen.
He adds that on April 10, Odendaal had undertaken to settle the debt but this has not materialised.
He said that EPCM had only paid R171 175 of the debt by November 20, 2024 with the remainder of R148 801 still outstanding.
He said that as VGA was preparing for the suit, it had on May 29, 2025, drawn the EPCM profile from which it gleaned that EPCM had eight judgments against it, as well as six defaults.
When asked for comment on Friday, EPCM lawyer Riaan Venter said that the matter has been settled and VGA has withdrawn its action.
“The matter is settled as per the notice of withdrawal.
“Any further false allegations and publication by you and your newspaper will be dealt with in terms of legal process.
“There is no pending liquidation application. But I have no doubt you will spin a story to suit your narrative. Similar to your previous false publication last week.
“Please refrain from contacting me,” said Venter.
Van Greunen told Sunday World the parties had reached an out-of-court settlement, and EPCM paid its debt on Thursday “and we have withdrawn the motion to get the company liquidated”.
