Nomaza Gexa of Mbekweni is R12 000 out of pocket after paying an alleged fraudulent architect, Junaid Adams, for a building plan in 2021, never to hear from him again.
Today she has been left in a pickle since Adams mastered a disappearing act leaving Gexa with an unapproved house plan and no access to electricity since 2021. This is because Gexa could not get final approval for her house-plan at the Drakenstein Municipality.
“In 2021 I had a house plan drawn up and submitted it to the Drakenstein Municipality, but because I deviated from the plan handed in at the municipality, they did not provide me with electricity.”
According to Gexa, for her to have access to electricity she had to resubmit a house plan which incorporated the structural changes she made, but because Adams left with her money and without an adjusted plan, electricity to her house was denied.
Since Gexa could not afford another architect for assistance, she turned to the municipality for help.
In August 2023 she paid a visit to the municipality who explained she had to pay R12 000 for an electrical cable, but since this transaction access to electricity was still a problem.
According to Louis Pienaar, executive director of engineering services at Drakenstein Municipality, a “client must secure approval for building plans before proceeding with a new connection to the municipality’s [electricity] supply network.
“Regrettably, the payment [of R12 000] for the new connection was made before we received the indication that her notice of approval of building plan was not in place,” he explained.
“The said fee can, however, either be reimbursed or retained until the required building-plan approvals are secured. Once the municipality has received the required occupational and compliance certificates, we will facilitate the connection to the municipal supply.”
WO Nceba Vanqa, spokesperson for the Mbekweni Police Station, confirmed that Gexa opened a case against Adams and that a fraud case is being investigated.
“A suspect has not been arrested yet, [as] he is still on the run,” he said in email communication to Paarl Post. “Both the complainant and the investigating officer are trying to get hold of him, but [his whereabouts are] not traceable at the moment.”
Gexa was aware of two other people in Mbekweni who had used Adams’ services and lost a large sum of money.
This story serves as a cautionary one, being careful of whom one goes into business with and especially the alleged architect who was last seen in Paarl-East.
Paarl Post was contacted by Adams after the initial article was published who claims he is innocent.
