Mr. Tekkie continues trade after High Court pronouncement

Update

GEORGE NEWS - Mr Tekkie, the clothing and footwear retailer recently established by former executives of the Pepkor subsidiary Tekkie Town, is continuing with trade, but Judge Elizabeth Baartman in the Western Cape High Court granted an interim order against the business preventing it from selling certain footwear.

She gave pronouncement today, Wednesday 7 November, in the trade restraint application of Pepkor against the startup.

Mr Tekkie welcomed the outcome of the application, saying they are elated that Pepkor "failed in their application seeking to kill the start-up business" by restraining five of Mr Tekkie's founders from any involvement in retail.

Mr. Tekkie CEO Bernard Mostert said, "Mr. Tekkie’s doors will remain open and the start-up company will continue to serve South Africans. Three Mr. Tekkie stores opened in October with a further 12 stores to open in November. Steinhoff, through Pepkor, came to the court wanting to bully a group of individuals into submission. They failed comprehensively."

Pepkor's CEO Leon Lourens said that a summons has already been served on Mr. Tekkie's attorneys. "Today's outcome demonstrates that we have a prima facie case to enforce the restraint of trade provisions against the founders of Mr. Tekkie. The court order confirms that Pepkor has demonstrated a valid right in terms of the restraints of trade."