Attorneys that destroy People’s lives

Strauss Attorneys and MJ Propmark ruined my life and business — Judgement on my name with NO proof of debt

I am writing this review to warn every South African about the devastating and unfair treatment I have experienced at the hands of Strauss Attorneys and their client, MJ Propmark. What has happened to me is wrong, and the public needs to know.

A judgement was taken against my name and placed on my ITC profile in August 2025. I did not run away from this debt and I never refused to pay. In fact, I did everything a responsible person should do.

On 4 September 2025, I personally went to the offices of Strauss Attorneys and met with Attorney Strauss, who represents MJ Propmark. I told him clearly that I am willing to pay what is owed. However, I made one simple and reasonable request before making payment: I asked for a breakdown showing how the total amount was calculated, the relevant municipality statement showing the balance, and a clear allocation of my deposit money. Surely, this is the very minimum a person deserves before being expected to hand over money?

Attorney Strauss agreed that this was fair. He told me he would request the information from his client and that I could come back and pay. He promised to call me. He never did.

A week later, I called Attorney Ponie, who had been assigned to handle my file. She told me she had not yet received the breakdown from the client. On 14 October 2025, I sent a follow-up email to Ponie, once again requesting the statements so that we could resolve the matter. I did this because I genuinely wanted to settle things. To this day, I have received absolutely nothing. Not one statement. Not one breakdown. Not one call back.

Every time I followed up, I was told the same thing: "We are still waiting for the client to submit the statements." Yet while I was waiting — while I was actively engaging, visiting their offices, making calls, sending emails — a judgement was silently sitting on my ITC profile, destroying my name.

Let me tell you what this has cost me. I am a businessman. My personal ITC profile is used for credit and business analysis. Because of this judgement, my career and my ability to do business have been ruined. My livelihood has been taken from me, and I am being forced to pay an amount that no one has been able to support with a single piece of paper.

Strauss Attorneys and MJ Propmark have handled this matter in a deeply unfair and unprofessional manner. I came forward. I communicated. I asked for transparency. And in return, my future has been damaged.

I am sharing this so that others know what can happen. You can do the right thing, you can ask for nothing more than proof of what you owe, and still end up with a ruined name and a broken business. This is not justice.