According to Julian Hendricks, the director of Pacaltsdorp Funeral Services (PFS), Papah promised that "if he pulled the article" she would pay him back three times the amount she admits to owing.
This follows after a Pacaltsdorp resident - close to tears - told the George Herald that there were questions regarding the validity of her funeral policy which she has been paying for many years.
In an affidavit, which is in the possession of the George Herald, the lady claims that Cynthia Papah, a former DA Councillor who resigned from council last week, has been collecting R140 per month from her for a funeral policy. Papah was supposed to pay the money to Pacaltsdorp Funeral Services (PFS).
"In March this year I found out that although I had receipts in my possession, PFS had not received the monthly subscriptions and now there are questions regarding the validity of my policy."
The George Herald asked the lady concerned how Papah had become involved in her business? "Every month I would go to town and pay my premiums and sometimes that of my son's at the offices of PFS. On one occasion Papah was in the office and told me that she would come and collect my payments from my house and save me the bother of coming into town. I thought this was reasonable as I had met her in the PFS office. She came to my house on a regular basis. On occasions, my son and daughter-in-law would hand over the money on my behalf. She still has my 'polis boekie' in her possession and I have asked her repeatedly to return it to me, but to no avail."
Julian Hendricks, a director at PFS, confirmed that Papah was employed by the company on a temporary basis. During the 2011 local government elections Papah stood as a candidate and won Ward 14 in Pacaltsdorp for the DA. "At the time it was mutually agreed that she would leave due to the work pressure of being a councillor. She returned the receipt book in her possession and we parted ways. In March this year, the complainant came to our office to check her details and that of her son, only to find out that our records were different from the receipts in her possession.
PFS has issued a notice to all their clients stating that Cynthia Papah is no longer an agent of theirs. "All subscriptions paid to her are invalid.
On the notice we have also detailed the agents that work with us. We appeal to anyone that has any questions regarding the validity of their policy to contact us as soon as possible."
PFS have been to the police and laid charges against Papah. The case has been referred to the Pacaltsdorp Police Station.
Papah was contacted by the George Herald for comment and a meeting was arranged te-lephonically, but she failed to honour it.
Cynthia Papah seen on her wedding day last year December with new husband, John Bruinders, the former chairman of Samwu. Papah is accused of collecting funeral policy subscriptions without paying the money to the relevant company. In August 2011 Bruinders was seen swinging a dead cat in the CBD during service delivery protests in George. Photo: Facebook
ARTICLE: MYRON RABINOWITZ
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