Comedian Trevor Noah’s mother, Patricia, is locked in a court battle with her electrician over nonpayment of R4 500 for services rendered.
Patricia was hauled before the small claims court by Elliot Mabua, an electrician, who claimed she failed to pay him after he worked at one of her units in Johannesburg. She owns and rents out numerous properties around Joburg.
The small claims court found in Mabua’s favour and ordered her to pay Mabua an amount of R4 500.
However, this week, the mom of the Daily Show host filed a motion at the South Gauteng High Court asking for the small claims court judgment to be set aside.
She is not only gunning for a review of the judgment, but also wants Mabua to refund her an amount of R1 500 she already paid to him following the small claims court judgment.
In her papers, she said she never mandated Mabua or his company, Elliot Electricals, to provide any electrical repairs at any of her properties.
She said the work Mabua claims to have done at her unit at Sedgefield can only be sanctioned and paid for by the Sedgefield body corporate as it was their responsibility to maintain the property.
“I made a payment of R1 500 to the first respondent in order to avoid further penalties while I do a proper investigation on the alleged electrical services rendered,” read the papers.
She argued that the small claims court judgment should be set aside and reviewed because the court did not have the jurisdiction
and authority to hear and decide on the matter as it was not filed by a natural person. She added that the summons issued by the court was also riddled with irregularities, with the word “Electrical” deleted and replaced by the word “Mabua”, which is the surname of the electrician.
When contacted about the matter, Mabua charged that the businesswoman was being economical with the truth.
“She is the one who called me and said she needed my services at her unit at Sedgefield. She gave me the directions to the place. Otherwise how would I have known where the place was?” he asked.
“She has been owing me since last year, and that’s why I went to the small claims court. I worked hard on that unit doing repairs on the DB boxes and rewiring the unit. She must pay me and stop wasting my money on courts.”
Her lawyers, Lesley Dube Attorneys, confirmed that they have filed the review application.
By Aubrey Mothombeni
mothombenia@156.38.205.90
