After 10 months of paying for food stamps, it was a dry festive season for a group of people after their broker admitted to using all their geld because she found herself in a “difficult situation”.
Bronwyn Williams, 37, from Grassy Park says she’s been buying food stamps since 2018 from her trusted ex-colleague Chantel Hendricks. And every year before Black Friday they would get their boekies.
But this year they were left bitterly disappointed when Chantel failed to produce the booklets and instead blamed it on “postpartum depression” after giving birth last year.
Bronwyn says she paid R600 via EFT every month from January to October and should have had R6000 to spend on holiday shopping.
A hartseer Bronwyn says: “This was the first year she pulled a dirty, she told us that she used the money.
“When it came to Black Friday, she just disappeared. We couldn’t really celebrate Christmas.
“I gave her till 1 January to pay me back. She chased me for the money [R600], if I pay late then she would message to ask if I am still paying.
“I never expected this from her, she blames postpartum [depression].”
She says Chantel waited till the day before Black Friday to let them know she used the money after her friend piemped her.
Another former colleague, Karin Samsodien, says she got 13 of her current staff, including two pensioners to join the food stamp scheme and says they paid Chantel nearly R58 000.
Karin explains: “She still told me in November that her husband is going to drop the booklets but he never did until her friend phoned to say Chantel used the money because she is in a pickle.
“She eventually phoned me and said that she has not been buying stamps.
“I had a R8000 boekie with her which was for groceries, my child’s school stationery and holiday plans we made and could not do.
“My mom paid R500 from her pension diligently [every month] and at the end of the year, she could do nothing.”
When the Daily Voice contacted Chantel, she said that she “did not feel comfortable” disclosing the reasons for using her customers’ kroon.
She said: “I have reached out to every single person, apologised and explained my situation to them.
“I tried making loans and I wasn’t successful, I have kept them up to date with what I am doing. I don’t have their money, I told them that I can pay them off every month. I am the guilty party, I am not here to fight but I am trying to pay them back.”
But Karin and Bronwyn say they’ve given her enough time and are planning to open a police case of fraud and theft.