“A stolen laptop, a pawn shop, and an impossible demand — until Mitax stepped in and connected the client to Knowler Knows.”
A small business in Durban depends on laptops for its daily operations. The supervisor tasked with stock-taking and locking up each evening quietly removed one of those laptops and pawned it at a local shop. Using the identification document of a former employee, he was able to complete the transaction. The pawn shop accepted the laptop for R1,000 — no box, no receipt, no questions asked.
When the business owner discovered what had happened, they went to the store with the original box and purchase receipt. The manager confirmed, via serial number, that the laptop was indeed in the shop’s system. But the shop refused to release it to the rightful owner, insisting it could only be collected by the person whose ID had been used. When questioned, the manager explained that receipts and packaging were not required, because “items pawned could be family heirlooms.”
The owner was told the only option was to open a police case and wait for it to be finalized. Desperate to recover the stolen laptop, the owner tracked down the individuals involved and persuaded them to help retrieve it. This, however, required paying the pawn amount plus fees — R1,683.99 — to get back their own property.
Mitax, who supports the business with compliance and advisory services, was appalled by the story. Recognising how unfairly the owner had been treated, Mitax asked whether they could share the details with Wendy Knowler of Knowler Knows, South Africa’s well-known consumer complaints platform. To the owner’s surprise, Wendy responded directly and immediately, showing a willingness to review the case.
“What began as a story of theft and frustration turned into an example of how consumer advocacy can shine a light on practices that enable stolen goods to circulate — and how professional advisors like Mitax go beyond the numbers to stand alongside their clients.”
Thank you Mitax from your eternally grateful client !!
– Anonoymous, Durban