April 25, 2009
 By Bruce Cameron
Take great care before investing in Pietermaritzburg-based company Edwafin Holdings.
The company, which has attracted more than R200 million in investments, mainly from pensioners and teachers, is the subject of a liquidation application, a curatorship application (by its own directors) and the attention of the Financial Services Board (FSB).
Edwafin, which has not paid interest to investors since last year, has blamed its woes on the global financial crisis.
The Pietermaritzburg High Court has deferred making a decision on the liquidation and curatorship applications until May 18, but the FSB has acted.
Gerry Anderson, the FSB's deputy executive in charge of financial advice, says it has suspended the financial services provider licence of Edwabond, a wholly owned subsidiary of Edwafin.
He says Edwafin issued debentures in terms of the Companies Act and marketed them through Edwabond. Edwabond was therefore subject to the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act.
Anderson says the FSB earlier, after becoming aware of the non-payment of interest, instructed Edwabond to stop marketing the debentures until the liquidity problems had been resolved.
  
 
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