Rumours have circulated publically on Facebook in connection with our ex-sales/workshop manager. I feel it necessary to now state our side.
Pieter Nell was responsible for overseeing the workshop and following sales leads. He signed a contract, which contained a restraint of trade clause for 6 months. The contraint was of utmost importance, as Pieter was involved in the R & D of Radical’s products, customer data base and suppliers data base. Last week, out of the blue, on Friday, 2 Sep. 2011, we received an email from him: “Geagte Martin, Hiermee gee ek kennis met onmiddelikke effek. Ek is ‘n beter betalende pos aangebied wat ek aanvaar het. Ek sal die laptop en sleutels vir Albert gee. Alles wat goed is vir jou en jou gesin. Pieter” And he MEANT with immediate effect! Didn’t even pitch up for work just a email at 11:43. I was at that stage nursing a pressure sore, sitting up for limited periods. My transport was being repaired and I could not get to the workshop. We had a few orders he had to just oversee. I relied on him being there for me while I was indisposed and he knew this.
The better position he thought he secured, was with a another wheelchair company, the owner of which I have a good relationship with. The owner gave me a call to enquire about Pieter and I told him that there was a restraint clause in his contract and that he had left with working any notice period. The owner decided that he was not prepared to employ Pieter as he had been let down before by a worker who also just dissappeard. Pieter has since contacted our customers and offered them a service and repair service.
Pieter, his family and his friends, now attack me on Facebook, publically, saying that I am insecure, unfair, spiteful and a backstabber. His fiance also phoned me and insulted and swore at me because he was not accepted for the job. I have never wished or caused him any harm. I am merely protecting my business interests and customers. This is the second time Pieter has done this to Radical, and it is the last!
Martin T. Brown
