Privately-owned Eclipse Networks has closed its doors, while the liquidator tries to reach an agreement with creditors over the company's debt.
Eclipse was placed under judicial administration on 19 March as it could not pay its creditors. It is not known how much the company owes, but ITWeb believes the debt is more than R50 million.
Liquidator Deon Botha, from Corporate Liquidators, said yesterday afternoon that he would be closing the company's doors to prevent it incurring operating losses, while he tries to reach an arrangement with creditors.
Should Botha's endeavours fail, the company will be wrapped up and more than 200 people will lose their jobs. Botha will meet with creditors next week. He hopes the meeting will allow Eclipse to open its doors, and staff to be paid.
Failed promises
Eclipse started trading in 1981, and had 13 outlets across SA when it went under administration. It called itself an information technology reseller and ICT solutions and services provider. Its offerings spanned infrastructure, data centre solutions, outsourcing and related services.
In February, CEO Richard Rix sent a letter to creditors explaining that the delay in payments was due to the company changing bank accounts.
“Despite rumours you may have heard, I assure you that Eclipse is both profitable, healthy and continues to grow strongly despite the economic challenges most organisations are faced with. The fact is that we are bucking the trend!”
He asked creditors for their patience, while the company changed bank accounts, and said he would start meeting with suppliers from March to “clarify our account status personally”.
Despite this promise, a supplier has told ITWeb that, a month after the letter went out, there was still no payment from the company. The supplier suspected that Eclipse was stalling creditors. Rix has not returned several phone calls, and an e-mail to him went unanswered.
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