A legal battle has broken out between Bidvest Wits FC and Tshakuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) football club boss Lawrence Malaudzi and the trustees of his trust over their failure to pay the club at least R1-million.
Bidvest Wits, which sold their PSL status to Mulaudzi in June 2020, have taken the Limpopo businessman and the trustees of his Black Gold Family Trust to the Joburg High Court after breaching their acknowledgement of debt (AOD) and written agreement to pay them more than R952 000.
The trustees are Tshifhumulo Mulaudzi, Thilivhali Prince Mulaudzi and the controversial businessman himself.
According to court papers, which we have seen, Bidvest Wits said the quantum emanated from the legal costs and out of court settlement monies they paid to footballers and their soccer agents who took them to court. This after Mulaudzi failed to pay them after buying the outfit.
Among those who took Bidvest Wits to court were defender Buhle Mkhwanazi and his agency, Siyavuma Sports Group, Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Peterson and his agency, Davids Sports Management .
The two were demanding more than R1.2-million in agent commissions linked to the salaries of the two Bafana Bafana stars.
Davids was demanding R400 000 linked to Peterson’s undisclosed salary, Siyavuma’s R750 000 and Mkhwanazi’s R175 000 monthly salary.
Bidvest Wits said despite that they were indemnified by Mulaudzi and the Trust against these claims, they had to defend the cases and incurred costs.
They said Mulaudzi entered into a written agreement to pay them over R950 000, which comprised legal costs and the money they lost when they
settled with one of the players out of court.
Mulaudzi and the Trust agreed to settle the debt by paying Bidvest Wits at least R300 000 over three months.
Their first instalment, Bidvest Wits said, was supposed to have been paid on September 30 and the last instalment on December 31 last year.
They agreed that should Mulaudzi and the Trust breach the agreement by failing to pay the instalments, they would be required to immediately pay the entire amount with interest for breaching the agreement.
They said Mulaudzi breached the agreement by failing to effect payment on the agreed date.
“As at 1 October 2022, Mulaudzi and the Trust, in breach of their obligations under the AOD, failed to make payment of the first instalment of R300 000 that fell due for payment on 30 September 2022.
“Despite a reminder by Bidvest Wits attorneys that the first instalment payment was due and the fact that no further indulgence for payment will be made, Mulaudzi and the Trust, in continued breach of their payment obligations under the AOD, have as at the date of
deposition to this affidavit failed to make any further payment in terms of the AOD,” read the papers.
Bidvest Wits further said because Mulaudzi and the Trust breached the AOD, they should settle the debt with interest.
Attempts to solicit comments from Mulaudzi drew a blank as his phone rang unanswered and did not reply to our text messages.
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