Graphic designer not paid for art work
A graphic designer claims that a restaurant in Horison has not paid for work he has done for them.
A local graphic designer is alleging that a well-known restaurant and pub hasn’t paid him for the art work that they currently use.
Lunga Xulu (25) approached the record saying The Legend, a restaurant and pub in Horison (previously part of the Keg chain), hasn’t paid him a cent towards the design of their current art work. Xulu describes himself as a freelancer who started his own graphic design company, 420 Inks Media Connexion, in 2010. He claims to have designed their current logo, menu and website and to have hosted that website for the past eight months.
“I used to work for them as a photographer,” Xulu says.
“In January, we came to a verbal agreement that I will design their new art work since they were moving away from the Keg brand.”
Xulu did designs for them throughout February, regularly seeking approval from the then part-owner Jaco Scheepers, and the designs were implemented during the first quarter of the year. Photographs and a basic online search confirmed that Xulu’s designs are currently in use. The record is in possession of invoices sent to Scheepers for the designs to date, as well as original art work files. According to the invoices he charged Scheepers R10 350 in total. Xulu further alleges that, when he requested that the money be transferred electronically so as to show on his business account, he was told “cash is king”.
“I’m not just looking for an opportunity to score cash, I’m looking for payment for my designs that they are using.”
Because he was doing work in Sandton, Xulu had not been in Roodepoort for a while to query the non-payment of his invoices. However, when he went to The Legend on 8 August he was surprised to find new owners. Marie Nortman and her husband Piet Engelbrecht denied accountability for Scheepers’ debt to Xulu.
“I didn’t hire him and I certainly had nothing to do with him over the past few months,” Engelbrecht said.
“I bought the place from Scheepers as it is and won’t accept responsibility for his debt.”
At a later stage Nortman said she believed Xulu was paid but failed to present supporting evidence. Scheepers denied claims that he wasn’t paid him for his work and stated that Xulu did not design the original logo. He said Xulu was paid R2 800 for the work on the logo and menu.
Meanwhile Barry Smith, who does web development and hosting, approached the record stating that he now works for The Legend and has taken over the hosting of the website.
“The owners are looking at refreshing the restaurant’s image and I will be assisting them with that,” Smith stated.
