Richard Rix, who was CEO of Eclipse Networks until he applied for the company to be placed under judicial management, leading to its liquidation, has paid R4 million for the right to chase up some of Eclipse's remaining contracts.
Privately-owned Eclipse Networks closed its doors after the court placed it in final liquidation in mid-May, after being placed under judicial administration on 19 March by management. Eclipse was unable to pay its creditors, among which is Tarsus Technologies, which is owed R38 million and is the company's largest creditor.
At the time, MB Technologies (MBT) - Tarsus' holding company - was blamed for Eclipse's demise by Eclipse staff, who commented on ITWeb's original story. Some of the comments allege MBT had a hand in closing down the firm, and stands to benefit from its failure.
However, in an exclusive interview with ITWeb in early April, MBT CEO Glenn Fullerton said mismanagement led to Eclipse's closure, not MBT's refusal, as a supplier, to bail it out.
Fullerton explained the company had been in difficulty for about two years, as it grew too fast and took on too many product lines. He said MBT had extended it a long line of credit, but was owed millions by the company, some of which had been owed for years.
However, it has subsequently been revealed that Rix, who placed the company under judicial administration, has bought the right to chase after some of the contracts held by Eclipse.
Rix and chief procurement officer Nico Meintjes were relieved of their responsibilities after judicial managers were appointed.
reseller, and ICT solutions and services provider. Its offerings spanned infrastructure, data centre solutions, outsourcing and related services. The company had about 300 staff and 13 outlets across SA when it went under administration.
Buying the right
Liquidator Deon Botha, from Corporate Liquidators, says Rix - through another company - paid a loan account from the liquidators for R4 million for the right to pursue some of Eclipse's longer-term contracts.
Although Rix has bought the right to chase the contracts, this does not mean he will successfully win them, says Botha. Eclipse's contracts included some with various government entities.
Botha is unable to provide information as to which contracts these are, or which legal entity Rix used to buy the loan account, other than to say the purchase was through a holding company.
However, according to information provided by the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (Cipro), Rix is only listed as a director of Eclipse Networks, the same company that has failed.
The information provided by Cipro does not provide any contact details for Rix, other than a post box in Witbank. Rix was this morning unavailable on a cellphone number that he had provided to creditors in correspondence dated 26 February. A number listed for RT Rix in the White Pages was not answered this morning.
Wrapping up
Botha says Eclipse is finalising two or three short-term contracts before being finally closed. He says most of the company's moveable assets have been auctioned, and there are only about two auctions left.
Eclipse's staff will be paid if there are sufficient funds after Tarsus, a secured creditor, is paid, explains Botha. Eclipse owes in the region of R60 million to creditors and its 300 staff are owed arrear leave pay, arrear salary pay and severance pay.
Staff did not receive their salaries for the month of March, after Eclipse was placed under judicial management.
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