If I ever had any doubts about the workings of the so-called racing 'industry' these concerns have been well and truly confirmed by my recent dealings with Bloodstock South Africa ( aka Ballsup South Africa ).
This sorry saga started just before the 2010 Cape Summer Yearling Sale and has really deteriorated into a shambles. Certainly Home Affairs would be hard pressed to better this one............
Shortly before the sale I decided to apply for a buyers card as I had not bought on my own account for a number of years and believed my card might have lapsed. I found an application on their website and duly completed it.
However - when it came to faxing it to them my attempts were greeted with - 'This number does not exist' despite the fact that it is printed on their own application! I scratched around for another number and duly sent off my fax.
I never got a reply. I happened to mention this to a breeder who stirred things up a little on my behalf. I duly got a call to confirm that my historic card (from y-e-a-r-s back ) was still perfectly valid. However - when I was then asked for detail updates I quickly realised that a.) They had never received my fax or b.) Nobody had ever bothered to action it as all the details they were suddenly requiring had been on that document.
When I asked when I might expect a catalogue I was promised one via courier - which did, in fact, arrive a few days prior to the sale. I am sure all the breeders would be delighted to know that their association couriered any number of catalogues to interested parties at, I would guess, not inconsiderable cost. Nice efficient utilisation of funding. And why, pray ,were catalogues not sent out in good time?
Moving on - I duly attended the sale and had a temporary buyers card issued. I waited for much of the day with my partner and one Mr Bells until the lot I fancied came up and was knocked down to me ON MY BID and ON MY CARD without ANY ASSISTANCE from any outside party.
Imagine my surprise this week when I received an invoice from a prominent bloodstock agent for my purchase requesting settlement for the horse. Included on the invoice was an unauthorised entry into the Bloodstock SA Bonus scheme - for a potential two mile horse who is unlikely to have even seen a yard by the time the series ends and who might JUST find distances up to 1600m a little on the short side. And finally - to add insult to injury - a R500 admin fee! For emailing me an invoice????
I subsequently found out that a trainer with whom I have interests simply added this horse to his batch without my instruction or consent. After first leaving me in no doubt that he had little regard for the animal. I didn't realise that an Authority To Act extended quite this far........
I then contacted Ballsup South Africa direct to procure my own invoice - which they duly sent to me for settlement. In the process they warned me that if I failed to pay by a certain date I would have to pay an additional amount for insurance for ( I quote ) 'In case the horse dies and we can't get the money out of you'. I wonder if this organisation has ever heard of FAIS ( The Financial Services & Intermediary Act ) because the selling of insurance cover is a financial service and carries with it a number of protocols. This crowd are violating so many clauses of the act by forcing cover onto buyers that I won't even begin to list them here. To say nothing of indulging in some very cosy conditional selling - another serious violation.
Nevertheless - I struggled on and endeavoured to pay this worthy organisation. (An act which is becoming extremely rare I am told ).Or tried to. Because the bank account and, in particular, the branch code on the account in question IS NOT VALID. And this despite the fact that they quote no less than TWO different codes ( One in the catalogue and one on the invoice - neither of which is valid )
So I called accounts and told them. In passing they mentioned that a number of buyers had called in to say they were experiencing difficulty in paying. But they were adamant the banking details were correct.
After spending the best part of a morning battling with this problem I then had a conversation with a more senior manager at BSA who was completely OBLIVIOUS to any problems with the account. ( I must surmise that up to this point they had, therefore, possibly received almost NIL payments yet did not suspect anything was amiss???)
I eventually solved the problem myself by contacting THEIR bank who told me that the branch codes had been changed on January 1st. And who supplied me with the correct one.
Needless to say - It was news to BSA when I advised them.........
As a precaution I faxed through proof of payment. But guess what : The number listed on their invoice does not exist!!!!
So I have one simple question - does this crowd have even the faintest idea what they are doing?????
As they say in the townships : These useless bloody whites are ruining the country.
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