Aida Head Office & Aida Bronkhorstspruit

I owned a small farm just outside Bronkhorstspruit. During 2018/19 I appointed Aida in Bronkhorstspruit, the branch Manager, John Raath, to let the farm, as I was living in the Free State. He informed me that he had great tenants for the place. They were dog breeders. They were going to build kennels and improve the place and might buy the place eventually. I was very pleased.

After about 4 months I paid an organised visit to my farm.

At first I thought this was a prank from a Leon Schuster movie. I expected someone to jump out any moment and shout: gotcha!! That didn't happen! My beautiful farm garden with irrigation was gone. Plants, pipes, everything was just dust. My huge irrigated vegetable garden was also destroyed and converted into a kraal. There were pittbull dogs in chains and makeshift dog kennels everywhere. They had to lock the vicious ones in the dog trailer for my visit. A neighbor warned me not to get out without the presence of the tenant. Apparently some of the dogs had attacked his tires. The one tied up dog was so happy to see someone, jumped on me and tore my blouse. These dogs were used in fights and competitions. No breeding was going on here!

The house was in an absolute state!! Walls were smeared, carpets were almost black. There were 3 families living there, plus some young single men. They had also erected a cattle kraal at the side of my house in my garden. There were approximately 20 cattle in that kraal. The existing kraal was modified and closed with different pieces of sink. I hardly recognized my farm. I still have all the photographs of this.

When I was about to leave, in total shock and silence, the only words I could utters was: sho the place doesn't look good.... I was nearly assaulted by a big woman full of tattoos on her arms. This was the grandmother. I managed to secure a camping chair between us. They were sitting outside under a tree with a table full of liquor. That day I thought I was going home with a blue face. I managed to get in my vehicle and left in tears.

I decided to sell the place and found a buyer after a while. When the tenants moved out they left me with an electricity bill of R13 500. When I spoke to John about this, and requested that he not give them the deposit back, he stalled for a couple of weeks. I then reported this to Aida Head Office in Pretoria.

In a letter from John to Aida Head Office I learnt that he never had a deposit from the tenants. John was very arrogant and refused to take any of my calls or answer any of my correspondence. The same with Aida Head Office, nothing! I ended up paying the electricity bill and the buyer had to clean up a *** stay that the tenants left. Yet John Raath from Aida took R1000 commission every month.