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Johannesburg - Lew Geffen Estates had nothing to do with the suspension of Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) CEO Nomonde Mapetla, the agency said on Monday.
It was responding to a Sunday Times report that Mapetla was suspended after she initiated a probe into the company.
Its owner, Lew Geffen, said "neither he nor the company" was notified that such an investigation was even contemplated.
"The implication that the suspension and the supposed investigation were somehow connected is thus totally false, and what is more, malicious, as it casts doubt on our integrity," he said.
Geffen said regular audits by the EAAB were routine and a big part of the function of the board.
"They are not just done in response to whistle-blowing, and when we had such a routine audit three years ago our business was found to be absolutely clean.
"If there is indeed an investigation pending by the EAAB, Lew Geffen Estates would expect the same clean result today," Geffen said.
"They are quite welcome to audit our trust accounts and check any other aspect of the financial management of our business at any time, as everything is absolutely above board and in order."
Mapetla was served with a letter of suspension on Thursday that reportedly did not state reasons.
Staff were told that she had been placed on special leave for four weeks and an investigation into her conduct would be launched.
The suspension came just days after Mapetla ordered an investigation into Lew Geffen.
The Sunday Times reported that insiders claimed Mapetla's approach to investigating the big names in the industry may have played a role and that staff at the EAAB had apparently lodged complaints about her.
The board was also unhappy with her comments in the media recently.
Mapetla said that when she took over the EAAB she was shocked at how "chummy chummy" it had been with the industry players and that it had allowed "the big boys to tell you (EAAB) how to govern the industry".
Mapetla took up the post of CEO six years ago.
She was credited with launching a clean-up of the industry which resulted in major players such as Wendy Machanik, Seeff Properties and Wakefields facing internal and criminal charges.
A spokesperson for the EAAB was not immediately available to comment.
It was responding to a Sunday Times report that Mapetla was suspended after she initiated a probe into the company.
Its owner, Lew Geffen, said "neither he nor the company" was notified that such an investigation was even contemplated.
"The implication that the suspension and the supposed investigation were somehow connected is thus totally false, and what is more, malicious, as it casts doubt on our integrity," he said.
Geffen said regular audits by the EAAB were routine and a big part of the function of the board.
"They are not just done in response to whistle-blowing, and when we had such a routine audit three years ago our business was found to be absolutely clean.
"If there is indeed an investigation pending by the EAAB, Lew Geffen Estates would expect the same clean result today," Geffen said.
"They are quite welcome to audit our trust accounts and check any other aspect of the financial management of our business at any time, as everything is absolutely above board and in order."
Mapetla was served with a letter of suspension on Thursday that reportedly did not state reasons.
Staff were told that she had been placed on special leave for four weeks and an investigation into her conduct would be launched.
The suspension came just days after Mapetla ordered an investigation into Lew Geffen.
The Sunday Times reported that insiders claimed Mapetla's approach to investigating the big names in the industry may have played a role and that staff at the EAAB had apparently lodged complaints about her.
The board was also unhappy with her comments in the media recently.
Mapetla said that when she took over the EAAB she was shocked at how "chummy chummy" it had been with the industry players and that it had allowed "the big boys to tell you (EAAB) how to govern the industry".
Mapetla took up the post of CEO six years ago.
She was credited with launching a clean-up of the industry which resulted in major players such as Wendy Machanik, Seeff Properties and Wakefields facing internal and criminal charges.
A spokesperson for the EAAB was not immediately available to comment.
