Johannesburg - Founder of Tariomix and diamond mogul Louis Liebenberg has slammed the weaponisation of the country’s liquidators, whom he accused of targeting him and his companies by unlawfully liquidating his company.
In March, the Mahikeng High Court ordered that a curator be appointed by Sars to oversee the process after the court dismissed a bid by Liebenberg to overturn its provisional liquidation.
This was followed by a Hollywood-style raid on one of Liebenberg’s business premises in Kempton Park.
At the time of this raid, Liebenberg decried this act, saying it was uncalled for as the assets taken belonged to another company and not Tariomix.
“It was uncalled for as the sheriff seized office items belonging to a different company not currently under liquidation,” he said.
The businessman says Tariomix (PTY) Ltd, a once-thriving diamond and gold trading company, has been met with controversy due to allegations of underhanded tactics employed by the appointed liquidators.
Liebenberg said the liquidation of his company has cast a shadow over the entire process and raised concerns.
“I am concerned about the use of excessive force during raids on the company’s premises. These operations, frequently involving overworked police departments and special forces members, are painted as intimidating and intrusive. Reports of inappropriate searches of staff and repeated instances of such raids have fostered an environment of apprehension and unease among the employees,” he said.
Liebenberg has singled out controversial liquidator Vaughn Victor, the primary liquidator, who has been accused of verbal abuse and manipulating the judicial system to his advantage.
According to Liebenberg, Victor is alleged to have submitted false information to judges during “ex parte” applications, effectively curbing the opportunity for opposing counsel to respond appropriately.
“This manipulation of legal procedures not only tarnishes the court’s integrity but also obstructs the fair resolution of the liquidation process,” charges Liebenberg.
“The role of the retired magistrate overseeing this case has also come under fire. The magistrate has allegedly issued questionable orders, one of which involved issuing multiple subpoenas to mobile network providers. These subpoenas sought records of individuals not directly linked to the company, seemingly in an attempt to track their movements. This overstep raises privacy concerns and questions about the legitimate extent of a liquidator’s authority,” added Liebenberg.
Adding another layer of controversy to this case, Victor now faces severe accusations of racially abusive behaviour.
Last week, The Star reported an incident in which Victor was seen assaulting and threatening an elderly woman in a video that has gone viral on social media. However, Victor has denied the allegations, asserting that the video is a deep fake meant to discredit him.
It has been reported that the victim of Victor’s wrath has lodged charges against him after her case was taken up by the African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (Areta), led by Carl Niehaus.
“Victor’s professional reputation hangs in the balance as these serious allegations, if proven true, would cast a dark cloud over his involvement in the Tariomix liquidation process. It also raises questions about the integrity of the entire process, underscoring the need for stringent oversight and ethical conduct in such matters,” Liebenberg added.
Responding to The Star, Victor denied having weaponised the liquidation process of Tariomix, saying he was duly appointed to oversee the process.
“I have proof that will dispute Lieberberg’s assertion. Caroline Mmakgokolo Ledwaba, Johanna Nini, Mahanyele and I are the duly appointed joint provisional liquidators of Tariomix (PTY) Ltd trading as Forever Diamonds and Gold. The facts deposed herein fall within my personal knowledge and belief, save where the context indicates the contrary, and are furthermore true and correct,” Victor said in official documents of the liquidation process currently under way.
The Star