Jankowitz says Geffen SMSed him to say he
didn’t hire enough Jewish agents
Geffen says Jankowitz & Stefanutto refused to sell franchise for "no apparent reason other than the
fact that Akoojee is of the Muslim faith"
With The Times and Sunday Times
The Cape Town High Court has become a battleground for some of the country's most powerful property tycoons who are battling for control of the Atlantic seaboard - a millionaire's playground and the gem of Cape Town's property market.
Fighting over it, according to a flurry of legal documents filed in the High Court in Cape Town, are Geffen’s Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty Franchises, who launched an urgent application to cancel the franchise agreement – and his rivals in court, Hugo Jankowitz and Rob Stefanutto, his erstwhile Sea Point franchisees, who have called Geffen’s move a "hijacking" of their business.
Geffen launched an urgent court application on Monday last week for the cancellation of the franchise agreement with Jankowitz and Stefanutto, and to be given "immediate control" of their business. The order was granted.
Stefanutto and Jankowitz last Friday had the previous Monday's order set aside.
In an affidavit, Jason Rohde, CEO of Geffen International Realty Franchises, claimed the two men had secretly acquired a rival business, Dogon Group Properties. Rohde's said documents had been found that detailed the agreement with Dogon. The documents were handed in as evidence.
Dogon Group Properties CEO Denise Dogon is known as the queen of the Atlantic Seaboard and, Rohde said, it was important that he and Geffen took immediate charge of the franchise to prevent the disclosure of important business secrets to their competitors.
Rohde said there were rumours that Jankowitz and Stefanutto had bought a "competing agency", and the relationship between them and Geffen had broken down.
Rohde said that, in an attempt to end the association between Geffen and Jankowitz and Stefanutto amicably, it had been suggested that the franchise be sold. But an offer for the franchise by businessman Farouk Akoojee was turned down by Jankowitz and Stefanutto for "no apparent reason other than the fact that Mr Akoojee is of the Muslim faith."
Stefanutto said in court papers that the sheriff of the high court, Geffen, Geffen's wife Sandy, and Rohde marched into his office with "a posse of people."
"In [the sheriff's] search and seizure process, [the sheriff and the Geffens] also seized my personal belongings, such as photographs, papers."
Stefanutto and Jankowitz last Friday had the previous Monday's order set aside.
BARBED COMMENTS IN THE BLOODY WAR OF THE ESTATE AGENTS
• Jankowitz wrote letter complaining about Sandy Geffen: "(She) presented herself in the Sea Point office ... imparting the following message ... 'I can't wait to take over this shop, it has been my dream for years to have this little shop.'"
• Stefanutto said he received an SMS from Lew Geffen las April saying that he didn't employ enough Jewish agents. Jankowitz replied: "Are you suggesting that because U is not Jewish & R is only half-Jewish [This must be a status they recognise in Cape Town –ED :)] that they be replaced?"
By then, Stefanutto had claimed that Geffen had frozen his company's bank account, taken computers and brought the firm to a standstill.
He said that he and Jankowitz had lost money and the dispute had been a big embarrassment.
He denied buying Dogon's company, but said there was nothing in the franchise agreement that forbade him from doing so.
Stefanutto claims that he and Jankowitz had been harassed by the Geffens for years. He said Jankowitz received an SMS from Geffen who told him that he did not hire enough Jewish agents and "operated a 'Super Franchise' on a shoestring budget."
Geffen said yesterday that he would sue Stefanutto and Jankowitz for R3.5-million. He has cancelled his franchise agreement with them.
Stefanutto, on the other hand, said he and Jankowitz would sue Geffen.
Perhaps Wendy could be
Perhaps Wendy could be called in to mediate.
Oh, I like! Lion613
Oh, I like!
Lion613