Durban - A specialist electrical services supplier founded
by businessman Vivian Reddy has debts amounting to R83m, the Mercury newspaper
reported on Tuesday.
According to the newspaper, directors of EJ Power, formerly
known as Edison Jehamo Power, are attempting to prevent several winding up
applications with a counter-proposal that the firm trade its way out of
financial trouble.
The banks have also frozen the company's overdraft
facilities.
In an affidavit, director Simon Wilkinson said the company
had R46m in assets. It owed creditors R18m, staff and the taxman R10m, and
"concurrent creditors" (creditors and sub-contractors) R55m.
The company has reportedly been involved in the erection of
power lines throughout South Africa for Eskom. It was also involved in a
partnership that saw it becoming the first company in Africa to specialise in
live-line maintenance using robotic arm technology.
The newspaper reported that Reddy, who is known for connections with the ANC elite, including President Jacob Zuma, and the government deals his Edison group of companies has landed, founded EJ Power in 2005.
He had since resigned as a director, but his son Shantan Reddy was a director, according to the newspaper.
EJ Power specialises in maintaining power lines and has contracts with Eskom and municipalities.