A pensioner from Pelican Park claims a builder took advantage of her after he allegedly took over R100 000 from her for a Nutec house but failed to finish it.
Cathleen Coetzee, 60, paid Sulaiman Abrahams in installments for the plekkie at the back of her main house, which she planned to give to her son as a wedding present.
A disappointed Coetzee said she trusted Abrahams because of the good mannerisms he displayed at their first meetings in March 2022.
“He promised to have the place done long before the wedding; I trusted him because in the beginning he would come out as we discussed,” she explained.
“Then in January he just stopped coming, so the place has been standing without proper roofing, flooring and electrical for months now.
“I’m telling you when it rains, lyk dit soos damme in daai plek, and my son is getting married next month.”
She said that when she contacts Abrahams he just casually tells her that he is either sick or coming at the weekend, but he never does.
“Every weekend we wait and every weekend he just doesn’t show. The more we wait the more muf the place is becoming,” Cathleen added.
“I believe he took advantage of me knowing that I am a single mom, so I have no-one to fight with me.”
Meanwhile, the retired healthcare worker got mense to help patch up the roof of her verlepte Nutec house.
“I took from my pension money to do this. I just want him to come and finish what he said he would, what I paid him for, that’s all,” she said.
When approached by the Daily Voice, Abrahams confirmed that he did not finish the Nutec house but claimed that it’s because Coetzee delayed payment.
The builder from Mitchells Plain has promised to go to Coetzee this weekend to complete the job.
“I told her I’m gonna come finish the work. It’s not that I’m saying I don’t want to finish the work,” he said.
“I’m just busy finishing other jobs in order to buy material for her. Two weeks ago I had the flu, but I will go this weekend.
“I am no conman, I will never steal from people to feed my own family, it’s not good for my body.
“I admit only the structure is up and electrical is installed and things still need to be completed, but she also had times where she didn’t have the money to pay me so I told her I will wait for her, but this weekend I will go finish even if I must fix the damage out of my own pocket,” Abrahams added.
To this, Coetzee responded: “Ooh jinne, we will just have to wait and see.”