A woman who sold cosmetics had a nervous breakdown when she realised a lucrative oral contract with the Medi-Clinic group was faked, the Bellville commercial court heard on Monday.
Hanli Lombard, 35, of Brackenfell, told the court her involvement with cosmetics started when she responded to an advertisement for weight loss. This led to a meeting with Annetjie Henning, a small-time Western Cape cosmetic saleswoman with the company Villa Krause.
Her friendship with Henning led to Lombard helping to market Henning's cosmetics on a much larger scale.
The relationship eventually soured, and Lombard now faces fraud and theft charges involving more than R1-million, before magistrate Amrith Chabilall.
It is alleged she falsely told Henning that she had secured lucrative deals with four Medi-Clinic hospitals.
Similar alleged fake deals involved Shell SA, Sun International Hotels and Vodacom.
Lombard has pleaded not guilty, and on Monday told the court the hospital saga started with her introduction to a David Mulligan, who had falsely led her to believe he was an executive at Medi-Clinic's head office at Stellenbosch.
She alleged Mulligan duped her in 2005 into inducing Henning to place a lucrative order with the Villa Krause head office in Pretoria, for baby packs, and gift packages for Mother's Day and Father's Day.
The gifts were to be distributed among hospital staff, as incentives.
Mulligan said the group was eager to give Henning a six-month contract for the supply of baby products, she said.
"According to Mulligan, the group was so impressed with the baby products that they wanted us to put a gift pack together for men and women, for the Medi-Clinic personnel.
"I discussed this with Henning, and she was amazed."
She said Mulligan insisted they form a close corporation as a formality, which Henning did, but to obtain the products from Villa Krause they needed a 50 percent deposit from the hospital group, as well as a formal contract - which they never got.
Lombard said they eventually accepted the oral hospital order "in good faith".
Lombard said she first realised something was amiss when Mulligan suddenly insisted they deliver the goods to a warehouse in Stellenbosch, and not to the hospital's head office.
The case continues on Tuesday. - Sapa