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Angry barman in small claims court over training debacle

Cape Town - An Angolan barman who felt cheated over R6 000 he’d paid for training as an offshore crane operator, has turned to the Small Claims Court for help.

Barman Manual Lussala told the Bellville Small Claims Court this week he had registered with M&J Holdings for training over a period of 10 days, but all he got was six hours training on a Sunday.

He appeared before Commissioner Christo Februarie, demanding a refund.

Lussala said: “The training did not materialise, because these people don’t have a place for training, or a system.”

He wanted a better job because, as a barman, he had to work every day, including night shifts.

“They said I can go for training for one hour each day, and after 10 days I am finished.”

The commissioner asked if he had signed a contract. He replied: “No, they just gave me a slip when I paid the money.”

M&J Holdings manager Mukwana Douglas produced a letter on a formal company letterhead, which explained the set up, as well as a contract with Lussala’s signature on it.

Hadn’t read contract

Confronted with this, Lussala agreed he had signed the contract, but had not read it and no one had explained it to him.

Asked if he was still willing to train, Lussala blurted: “No, not with them - these people are not honest.”

The commissioner responded: “No, it’s not that they are not honest, it’s that you assumed incorrectly the training would be for 10 consecutive days, instead of being spread over a longer period.

“You had a responsibility to read and understand the contract before signing it, but you failed to do so.”

Douglas said the situation was explained fully by a woman staffer who had moved to the Johannesburg head office.

The Commissioner insisted on her attendance, and postponed the case to August 20.

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