The Matala Local Court this week heard an unusual dispute involving a 33-year old woman demanding payment for four pairs of leggings worth M290.
Leggings are form-fitting garments, similar to tight pants, that cover the legs from the waist to the ankles and are made from stretchy materials like cotton or polyester blends.
‘Mampho Mololi of Ha-Matala told Court President ‘Malepene Ntloboto that she sold four pairs of leggings on credit to her relative, Setumo Mololi, last September but has never been paid.
She said Setumo called her using a mobile number 63306922, asking to buy on credit with a promise to pay at the end of that month. ‘Mampho testified that she delivered the leggings to Setumo’s wife at Ha-Leqele and even added two extra pairs for another customer since she was in the area.
But instead of settling the debt, she claimed, Setumo began avoiding her. In frustration, she reported the matter to the police.
At the police station, ‘Mampho said, Setumo admitted owing her and promised to pay by May this year. Yet no payment came.
When police later contacted Setumo’s wife, she allegedly said she had given her husband M80 to pay at least part of the debt, but nothing ever reached ‘Mampho.
By June and July, she said, she was repeatedly following up at the station with no results.
Out of options, she turned to Setumo’s father, hoping he could intervene. According to her testimony, the father assured her that his son would settle by the end of August. That too never happened.
“By September both Setumo and his father stopped answering my calls,” ‘Mampho told the court.
She added that police eventually advised her to take the matter before the local court, leading to the current case.
Setumo has yet to give full testimony, but his wife’s earlier statement suggested that some money may have been given to him for repayment.
The court postponed the matter after ‘Mampho requested time to bring a witness to strengthen her claim.
The case will resume on October 6.
