Multichoice Eswatini denies issuance of soft loans

MBABANE – Multichoice Eswatini has denied the issuance of soft loans to its staff using customer’s subscription payments.

The Managing Director of Multichoice Eswatini, Phumzile Drummond, has denied that the money the company demanded from its dismissed employee, Hloniphile Sithole, is for any loan payment.

In the company’s papers replying to Sithole’s affidavit resisting the summary judgment for the payment of E40 000 that Multichoice Eswatini is seeking from her ( Sithole), Drummond denied any loan policy attributable to the usage of customer’s payments, whether paid in advance or bulk ‘ and has no knowledge of any arrangement or practice of that nature’.

Agreement

“The amount paid in August 2020 was never paid in respect of a loan agreement,” said Drummond. The veracity of these allegations is still to be tested in court. Multichoice Eswatini is represented by SV Mdladla and Associates.

The managing director referred the court to an acknowledgement of receipt of the amount of E8 545 by another employee which she eventually dropped in the safety box.

Drummond said this happened pursuant to Sithole’s alleged acknowledgment of her indebtedness to the company and ‘ detailing how and when she fraudulently and incorrectly recorded such payments without justification and had retained such monies for her own personal use without the employer’s knowledge and consent’.

The managing director told the court that the audit and investigation was at her instance as a result of losses that were realised.

Wrongdoing

“I state that the amount of E8 545 at the time was due, owing and payable by the defendant ( Sithole) as the defendant had acknowledged her wrongdoing. The defendant paid back the money and it was received by another employee who accepted it on behalf of the employer.

“The defendant signed an acknowledgment of debt for the payment of E8 545 and paid the said amount she had

acquired through fraud and misappropriation of company funds. This amount was paid subsequent to pleading guilty to the offence,” said Drummond.

The MD informed the court that it was out of concern about the theft and fraud, as well misappropriation of funds that she suspended and invited Sithole to a disciplinary hearing. She alleged that Sithole admitted to theft of up to E40 000 and apologised in writing to the employer.

Acknowledgment

She submitted that at the time of signing the acknowledgment and settlement agreement in relation to a sum of E40 000, the court that the company was carrying out further investigations in relation to the said amount and was awaiting documents from Multichoice Africa Randburg office, which in de