Politically connected businessman Lonwabo Sambudla and his company are being evicted from their rented offices in Sandton after failing to pay more than R3-million in rent.
Sambudla and his company, Impuma Group, were dragged to the Joburg High Court by Little River Trading after defaulting on their monthly rental payment for several months.
Sambudla, who was married to former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma, has amassed millions of rand through government tenders.
During their divorce proceedings, Duduzile Zuma revealed that the staunch ANC supporter owned a Porsche 911 turbo, a Range Rover, a Mercedes-Benz GL, Mercedes-Benz E500 and a Ferrari California, among other luxury vehicles, and properties in Joburg and East London.
He also owned luxury wrist watches, including a R200 000 Cartier Roadster and a Breitling valued at R70 000.
In the court papers, which we have seen, Little River Trading, which is under business rescue, said it entered into a lease agreement with Impuma Group to occupy the first floor, measuring 1257.45m2 of its office building in Illovo, Johannesburg, on October 8 2018 .
The agreement started on January 2019 and was to end on December 31 last year. This included 44 parking bays and 10 tandem parking bays.
Sambudla’s company was supposed to pay more than R251 000 rent a month for the office space and R74 000 for operating costs, R45 000 for parking and R1.2-million a year for water and electricity use, and refuse and sewage removal.
The company said Sambudla’s company signed another agreement to lease additional office space of 206.28m2, and nine additional parking bays, from March 1 2020.
Impuma Group agreed to pay more than R41 000 rent for the additional space, excluding VAT; more than R12 000 for operating costs; R7 400 for the parking bays and more than R207 000 in associated charges.
However, the company defaulted and is more than R3-million in arrears.
“The plaintiff has duly demanded from the defendants payment of the arrears amount … which the defendants failed and or neglected to pay…” read the papers in part.
Little River Trading said as a result of tardiness by Sambudla’s company, it had cancelled the lease agreement and wanted them out of the building.
“Wherefore plaintiff claims from the defendants, their liabilities being jointly and severally, the one paying the other to be absolved for as follows, payment of the amount of R623 629 15 ejectment forthwith of the first defendant and anyone claiming occupation through the first defendant from the commercial leased premises.”
Sambudla said he was not aware of the suit filed by his landlord.
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