Jan Jacobs - Left worker unpaid!

DO not use this man (Jan Jacobs). He did a job for me 22rd and 23rd of December, 2022. Apparently his 'team' likes working over the festive period because their families are in Zim and they like to earn a bit of extra cash.

The long story short. The poor labourer (who turned out to be a casual he picked up along Rosmead avenue) was not paid a single cent for his two full days of work. He came up with many excuses. Nevermind that he charges a 75% deposit (asked for immediate transfer nogal) to cover his liability.

The worker pitched up at my door on the 24th, and again on the 25th. He was supposedly going to meet Jan on the corner to get paid. On the 24th, I gave the worker Jan's cell phone number. On the 25th, (Christmas!!!) the worker came again. This time I phoned Jan and gave him the opportunity to come to my house and pay the worker. His excuse? He was rushed to the hospital with chest pains 23rd of December and was kept there without a phone. And, even though he is now back home, he cannot come to pay the worker, because he is now in debt from the hospital.

How can someone do this!? If he had paid his casual worker at the end of each day, he would not be able to say that he used the money for the hospital. So even if it is true (which I doubt since reading other reviews here), it is absolutely disgusting to not pay a casual worker before they leave for the day.

So, I ended up paying the worker R700 out of pocket (he was owed R900 from his 'employer'), so that he could go join his friends / family doing something nice for Christmas. He said while all his friends are going to the beach and making food, he had two days of stress over not being paid. He also would have had another job on the 24th with someone else, had he not waited on the corner near my house for 6 hours for this man to come pay him.

During the 2 days of work around my house, I also got Jan to quote on a afdak and pergola. He really gunned for me to go ahead, saying he would be able to do it over new years. He asked me often if I am going ahead, almost over the top. Imagine if I had paid him the 75% deposit (which is a hefty amount), just to be left in the lurch. Never mind that any af-dak that has a roof on it and gutters etc, needs to be council approved. That he did not even mention or suggest.

I'm sticking to my regular contractor who is honest, reliable, and has mutual respect with his team and casuals.