Major estate agency to be liquidated

Beyers Property Group to close amid serious fraud claims

THE prominent Sea Point property group at the centre of a fraud scandal is set to be liquidated.

Yesterday Beyers Realty Group co- founder Beyers Swanepoel-Trollip announced an application was brought before the Western Cape High Court to liquidate the company.

“I have spent a lifetime marketing and selling real estate,” he said.

“This is not what I wanted for Beyers group. I apologise to all who are inconvenienced and assure that I am in Cape Town doing my best to address the matter.”

Swanepoel- Trollip also requested an urgent meeting with the Estate Agency Affairs Board.

It emerged last week that millions of rands from a Beyers Realty Group trust account had allegedly disappeared.

Lenard Swanepoel-Trollip, a co-founder of the company, had apparently left South Africa, leaving Swanepoel-Trollip, his partner, to deal with the matter.

Police confirmed a fraud case was under investigation and David Erleigh, Swanepoel’s legal representative, said auditors were also investigating the trust account.

This week drama surrounding the case spilled over to social media, where a Facebook user claimed clients’ money was used to fund a lavish trip to Europe.

This allegation, as well as other insinuations about what happened to millions of rands in clients’ money, was made on the Beyers Realty Group’s Facebook page.

It appeared an account under the name “Namless Helper” (sic) was created to post claims on the page.

On the Beyers Realty Group’s Facebook page an official message about “money that has been moved illegally” from the trust was posted.

“We will be contacting each of our clients that have been effected by this event and those that are currently still in the process of any purchases, payments or deposits,” (sic) it said.

It advised clients wanting further information to contact one of their attorneys.

This post elicited varying reactions, with one person describing it as “nice PR (public relations) words”, but saying Swanepoel-Trollip should have addressed his employees face to face.

The administrator of the Beyers Realty page then replied: “Beyers has been in contact with his staff and agents regarding this delicate situation, please understand there are so many negative rumours developing every min of the day, it is very difficult for all clients, agents and staff to digest all that is currently happening.” (sic)

It said Swanepoel-Trollip was “standing tall” and “not running away from anything”. Some stood up for him. “I really think all out there before you try and slander a man with justice and trust please make sure you have your fact straight,” (sic) one of his supporters said.

“There are so many out there that can’t stand the competition our company is one of the best in South Africa unfortunately there are times you trust the wrong people don’t blame Beyers.” (sic)

Aside from screengrabbing the post about a flight to Paris from Swanepoel-Trollip’s Facebook page, then reposting it on the company one, Namless Helper lifted others too.

Namless Helper included another post about Swanepoel-Trollip’s travel and choice of luxury vehicle.

Weekend Argus tried to directly message Namless Helper via Facebook.

It was not clear if the message was received as there was no response.

Weekend Argus also messaged Lenard Swanepoel-Trollip via Facebook and SMS, but he did not respond. caryn.dolley@inl.co.za

Allegations about where clients’ money which allegedly went missing from a Beyers Realty Group trust account was channeled have been made on the company’s Facebook page.