Tag: SABA

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, SABA Update

Post author By Amer Vargas
Post date December 1, 2021
No Comments on The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, SABA Update

Update on Litigation against the South African Butler Academy

Legal actions being taken by Ms. Yang Lin and 18 students against the South African Butler Academy (SABA), Mr. Newton Cross, Guild Recruitment (GR), Mr. Willem Adriaan Coetzer, Butler Training Pty Ltd, and Butler Holdings Pty Ltd, have progressed.

After months of repeated delays and request for Ms. Yang Lin to grant them indulgence, the Defendants finally served their discovery. Their discovery documents show Newton Cross received six weeks of butler training at the South African School for Butlers and Household Personnel in 2002 and it is the only credential Mr. Cross presented. He admits in his affidavit that the facts of the matter concerning his claimed training are as follows: The Buckingham Palace training was a fabrication; he worked as a waiter on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, not as a butler, and Cunard’s work appraisal shows Mr. Cross delivered “Standard” work performance, notches below “Exceed Standards” and “Outstanding”.

Contrary to Defendants’ publicity, the discovery documents confirm the research done that Mr. Cross has never been hired by Fancourt Hotel, and he never worked as a butler, as claimed, for the line of celebrities and four presidents.

The discovery documents further show that SABA has made proposals to some hotels to train their staff in exchange for free accommodations in their hotel and no further payment. Based on SABA’s hotel training videos posted online, it is believed that SABA used these training videos to add credits to itself, and further pitch its training to other hotels.

Some discovery documents seem dubious. See: Ms. Yang Lin’s Notice in Terms of Rule 35(3) dated 21 October 2021 and Defendants’ reply.

In the meantime, the Protection of Personal Information Regulator has also started investigating Ms. Lin’s complaint about the Defendants’ publication of her residential address and their illegal use of her images to mislead consumers (Case No.: CDR334-21). We are told the National Consumer Commission’s investigation is at an advanced stage.

Due to lockdowns in 2020, high court cases are back-logged, the trial date has been delayed to 2022, with long-awaited justice finally expected to be served.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Tags #Guild Recruitment, #Guild Recruitment International, #Newton Cross, #SA Butler Academy, #SA International Butler Academy, #The South African Butler Academy, SABA, SABA court case

Letters to the Editor Newsletter

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, Letters to the Editor

Post author By Amer Vargas
Post date December 1, 2021
No Comments on The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

“I still had this [encouraging Chairman’s message about dealing with hostile environments] in my inbox and I am so glad that I did, as I needed it today! Thank you for all of the invaluable insight and advice you share with us.” AH

Ed: So glad it proved useful—and you are welcome

# # #

“I returned from a 6-month contract on a cruise ship and currently am on vacation. I received very good feedback on my performance and was offered a third contract to open the next ship. I will never be able to thank you enough for all your teachings and tips for excellent service.” A.

Ed: Really good to hear from you again and even more so to hear of your good news and accomplishments! You are certainly welcome for the information I passed on, and I have to tell you, your caring and inquisitive mind were always an inspiration for me. Carry on! If you happen to see any of the old team, please give them my fondest regards.

# # #

“I am so grateful that a reputable institution such as yours makes the time and effort to support our cause. SABA Class of April 2017.” FS

Ed: Of course!

# # #

“Sorry to bother you with this trifling information, but as a long-time subscriber to your excellent newsletter and a devoted butlerphile, I would like to share a rather exciting discovery: I came across an obscure American television show from the late 1980s called “Marblehead Manor.” It featured a butler named Albert Dudley who was played with energetic efficiency by English actor, Paxton Whitehead. The show only lasted one season and a mere handful of episodes have made it to YouTube. It’s exceedingly farcical and silly, especially since a pre-Seinfeld Michael Richards also co-stars in it. Butlers in films and television have greatly influenced my fascination with that dignified vocation. We’re all familiar with Jeeves and Mr. Belvedere and Mr. Carson, and it was thrilling to see a butler take such a prominent starring role in a television series, no matter how short-lived (and, yes, Jeeves is a valet as we all know).” JW

Ed: Thank you very much for sharing your discovery with us. We took a quick look at it on YT and it seems we will have to go back to it to have some good laughs. Since you are a butlerphile I am taking the opportunity to make another amusing/farcical recommendation: a 15-minute skit called “Dinner for One” from 1963. Here is a link for the colored version, as the original was black and white. I hope you enjoy it! Also, and as you mentioned you are a loyal reader of our monthly newsletter, you probably may have read in our previous edition that we are moving to regular publications in Linked in, where we hope we will keep delighting your “butlerphilia.”

# # #

“I am a long-time reader of your website from the UK, having held an interest in becoming a butler for a number of years, and I have also just purchased a copy of your Serving The Wealthy Volume I book. I would like to start by thanking you for all of the wonderful resources you provide for those in the profession, and those of us who wish to join it.

“I am desperate to pursue my dream of entering service but have always been unsure of the best path into butlering; I have considered many different schools and courses over the years, but have never felt confident enough to jump in and commit to one. I have up until recently had no experience working in any form of hospitality, but have just managed to secure a part-time position as a waiter at a private member’s club in the countryside to run alongside my day job. I am learning the art of fine dining service and enjoying it immensely. Thus I have decided to take a Level 1 wine course in London in January in order to improve my knowledge in that particular area and improve my service.

“I am thinking my goal for next year will be to use the experience I am gaining to obtain a full time waiter role in a London private member’s club or a luxury hotel. My question is, ‘Do you think this can be the first step in a career path to butling or would my time and money be better spent training at a school and aiming to go straight into butling?’ I understand the role of a butler encompasses so much more than the skills waitering provides, but after a decade of being confined to office cubicles I feel like I am finally having a taste of service and it’s very exciting. As always, the dream remains big but the road unclear!” EB

Ed: Thank you for the lovely enquiry. You do have options, either way is viable, but the advantage of pursuing the current waiter course is gaining experience and practice in high-end service. Doing a butler course in a school would then be a next step that you could manage with some background to support you. The downside of going from office to butler is lack of experience that makes the resume look a bit thin to putative employers and also makes the butler curriculum a bit more challenging to grasp, whereas with F&B service, wines, and service itself as strong cards in your hand, you would be half way there. And who knows, from a waiter position one might well be hired directly to be a butler or under-butler, if one were to impress, by the by, one of the patrons. And that could be a path to employer-sponsored training as a butler. Does this help?”

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Tags Career advice, letters to the editor, Marblehead Manor, SABA

Butler standards Newsletter SABA South African Butler Academy

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, November 2021, SABA Update

Post author By Amer Vargas
Post date November 1, 2021
2 Comments on The Modern Butlers’ Journal, November 2021, SABA Update

The South African Butler Academy Update

Ms. Lin provides an update stating that, after her attorney served the defendants with a written demand to produce discovery evidence, the defendants finally provided a list that includes inadmissable documentation from a classmate, Dane Fair, yet omitted the most important evidence, such as Newton Cross’ credentials and SABA’s accreditation. Ms. Lin’s attorney has demanded the defendants produce this evidence by the first week of November 2021.

Some readers have asked what a Security for Costs is (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_for_costs ), and how the defendants could launch an interlocutory application for Ms. Lin to put up such a Security for Costs and why the defendants then withdrew that application. The reason is that the High Court ordered it be withdrawn.

Ms. Lin has offered to share her affidavit to answer any questions about why a Security for Costs would not be granted, and the true nature of SABA.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Tags #Guild Recruitment, #Guild Recruitment International, #Newton Cross, #SA Butler Academy, #SA International Butler Academy, #The South African Butler Academy, SABA

Butler standards Newsletter SABA South African Butler Academy

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, September 2021, SABA Update

Post author By Amer Vargas
Post date August 31, 2021
No Comments on The Modern Butlers’ Journal, September 2021, SABA Update

The South African Butler Academy

At the end of July, 21 consumers/former students filed another complaint against the South African Butler Academy (SABA) and its recruitment arm, Guild Recruitment (GR) for violating the Protection of Personal Information Act by long-term publishing their images despite their objections, online trolling, defamation, and abuse. Among the 21 consumers/former students are Ms. Lin Yang and Mr. Paul Raicus, who seek damages of 100,000 Rand each from SABA and GR.

It is the nature of legal proceedings the world over that they take months and years before making their rulings.

This unfortunately, in the absence of the defendants accepting that they may have erred and therefore changing their ways voluntarily, means that any future clients and customers continue to risk suffering the same indignities until the court finally rules.

I was reminded of this when reading sworn affidavits and feel that it is only fair for prospective students to be aware of what past students claim to have been common practice at SABA. The below is taken from just one graduate, Mr. Paul Raicus, his statements being fairly typical of the rest:

Taking well-remunerated job postings from other placement companies’ web sites and posting them on their own so as to make prospective students think well-paid jobs await their completion of the training required at SABA to apply for these positions; reinforcing this with congratulatory messages to claimed but always anonymous “graduates” who had allegedly obtained these positions;
Inflating pricing for SABA courses by up to 400% according to the nationality of the candidate;
Falsely claiming to be members of FEDHASA and the European Butler Association and to being certified by FEDHASA and that their certificates were accepted internationally;
Accepting students who could speak little or no English when the classes were conducted in English;
Regularly hiring out SABA students to SABA’s clients or using them to host their own parties—all on the pretext that it was “practical training,” yet the work required no skills needed for their training and was only occasionally supervised. SABA and GR pocketed all the money paid by clients (22,000 Rand for 16 hours x 7 days in one case) because “the work was part of the training and therefore would not be subject to payment to the students.” The student in question missed a week of the beginning of the course he had paid for and was threatened into not speaking to anyone else about it;
False claims by the principal (Mr. Newton Cross) about working as a butler for certain dignitaries and celebrities, and being a butler on the Queen Mary II when he was actually a waiter.
As noted by the complainant, the principal neither knows nor demonstrates in his own behavior the core values of service, and has limited skills and educational background, making it difficult to see how he could legitimately train others;
Forcing students while standing over them every other day to spend an hour promoting SABA on social media; the principal and tutor coached them on what to write—and particularly for those who could not speak English, dictated what to write;
At the same time, SABA personnel constantly threatened to sue any students who spoke badly of SABA;
When graduates were more free to provide information on how they actually felt about the training on the Facebook page of SABA, their comments were removed immediately and they were blocked from its Facebook page;
The complainant stated that, based on his existing knowledge from 15 years in hospitality, that he knew more than the principal and teachers, and that he learned absolutely nothing new from SABA’s training; but he did experience bullying, lies, greed, incompetency; and furthermore observed the less-experienced students who had sacrificed everything to do the course for the promised jobs, experience submission to the bullying, fear, broken spirits, and shattered dignity;
SABA staff tried not to allow the complainant to see their written works because, he states, they were afraid he would see through their plagiarized and inferior works;
The training consisted of no practical assignments or practicing, which was covered in SABA’s eyes by the work-without-pay jobs they were obliged to perform;
The promised meals consisted of hotdogs that students were required to prepare themselves because it was “part of butler training.”
Despite the constant cleaning students were obliged to do as part of their training, the school was overrun with cockroaches;
Accommodations were bedrooms shared by several students per room and shared bathrooms for which students were charged 10,000 Rand each.
A key member of the staff was an alcoholic, as observed by the complainant;
False information on the application form included a non-existent library, ironing center, and high-tech center, and a building entrance on the cover that was not the SABA training venue at all but a completely dis-related building.

I would advise any future students to consider the possibility that the problems highlighted in this list may have some merit, and to compare them to the glitzy marketing materials and social media put out by SABA that otherwise might encourage them to follow in the footsteps of the many complaining ex-students/graduates.

Whether or not the court case finds SABA and GR guilty is beside the point here, because as with any product or service being offered by anyone, feedback is part of the expected landscape for prospective purchasers to make up their own mind whether or not they feel a vendor is honest and offering the kind of service or product they seek.

As SABA, per the above, forces students to write glowing comments on SABA and threatens any who say anything that is unflattering, and then removes any that are contrary to SABA’s glittery self-projected image, there is every reason for future students to be given a more balanced picture when deciding whether or not to attend a SABA course.

Feel free to copy and paste or link to this article in any platform where prospective students may be visiting.

Tags Balancing reviews, Court case, International Butler School Alliance., intimidation, SABA, Setting butler training standards, South African Butler Academy, unprofessional behavior

Letters to the Editor Newsletter

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, July 2021, Letters to the Editor

Post author By
Post date July 1, 2021
2 Comments on The Modern Butlers’ Journal, July 2021, Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

Several subjects were brought up this month:

“It is always so exciting to see the monthly newsletter in my inbox. First, I wanted to congratulate you and your colleagues on the fantastic news regarding the Alliance of Professional Butler Trainers. By adding merit to the continuous efforts to advance the skillset of the Modern Butler, it ensures great service to the Principals—I applaud all of the parties involved. “Some of your personal attributes and numerous abilities are focused on the future of the industry, telling the truth with unwavering conviction. Thank you, very few people have courage to speak with such candor.
“My first two semesters at college are over and I am now not only a senior but also a senior citizen (62) with a 4.0 average. Next year, at this time, I will have a lifelong goal achieved with my Bachelor’s degree. With a career in service, it was always about my clients’ needs, not mine—although it is still awkward not to be ambling about a mammoth home with a plethora of tasks to accomplish.
“It would be remiss of me not to mention that I am in agreement with your statement about our workforce preferring unemployment to being gainfully employed. Disgraceful, especially during the Memorial Day Weekend, as we celebrate our fallen heroes who helped give us our freedoms. It has been an amazing phenomenon for me to watch, but not in a good way. My mate is a private chef, he hasn’t missed a day of work during this pandemic period and I only work part-time because of school.
“I cannot wait to try the ‘Grilled Pineapple Mojito’. It sounds like a fantastic drink and future customer favorite. Thank you again for the always interesting and informative newsletter.” D.S.

Ed: Thanks for your kind words—always good to have a kindred spirit appreciating the gist of our messages. You are a continuing source of inspiration in so many ways: When so many are winding down, you are just starting a whole new game. Well done on your accomplishments so far—I look forward to hearing how you have ace’d your Bachelor’s and what new doors have opened for you! I am sure Mr. Vargas would be happy to hear how the Grilled Pineapple Mojito was received by your patrons.

# # #

“I enjoy reading the MBJ and seeing how precise butling is.” JH

# # #

“I’m a long-time subscriber to your newsletter and a devoted Butlerphile. I stumbled across this amusing article 12 Shocking Things I Learned as A Butler at the Plaza Hotel and thought I’d pass it along.” JW

Ed: Thanks very much for passing along this article, which we had not seen before; we will include it in the next MBJ. I remember training Mr. Sharma and the team years ago and am glad to see they are doing such a good job. Glad also to make your acquaintance as a butlerphile

# # #

One long-term butler responded to last month’s article about rising salaries and opening up about his own personal issues that I promised not to share. What I would like to share, and which I do not think he would mind, is that he had reached the top of his game and was bored silly because he had everything under control—so he was thinking about moving on. This is probably a common issue amongst senior butlers, and the advice to stay in his area and develop other games to play in addition to continuing to manage his job, was well received. Obviously, having a challenge in life is very important, and it can be created by expanding into other areas of responsibility in the household, or in society, or picking up new skills, as the letter from DS above demonstrates.

# # #

Lastly, the below letter from Ms. Yang Lin, the chief litigant in the case against the South African Butler Academy, contains suppositions that may or may not be accurate, but which are based on careful research on her part, so they are being included here with the offer to publish factual information from SABA in next month’s issue to answer the points raised by Ms. Lin.

“Congratulations on the forming of The Alliance of Professional Butler Trainers! Many students have been asking me when the trial date for the South African Butler Academy is, as they are impatient to see Mr. Newton Cross and Mr. Willem Adriaan Coetzer in the witness box. I’d like to provide an update: their delayed plea was finally served and we will see what evidence they will produce.

“For instance, is Mr. Cross able to produce his employment record with the four presidents and/or Fancourt Hotel? The Human Resource Manager from Fancourt Hotel is unable to produce any employment record of Cross.

Perhaps School for Butlers & Household Personnel had a 2-week staffing contract from Fancourt, and he, as a 21-year-old trainee, served VIPs for two weeks, performing tasks such as room service and waitering. If that was the highlight of his career (according to his interview for Carte Blanche investigation), does he have much to highlight?

“If he did graduate from ‘Buckingham Palace Butler School’ and Cape Town University, why has he been so reluctant to show evidence? Was he really a waiter at Cunard, or a butler, as he claimed?

“Perhaps his real employment history is something like this: Housekeeper for Don Ezard in 2005 and 2007? Perhaps he also worked for Tony Fagrew and Ezard House and Westbank and Clarendon House? Perhaps Mr. Coetzer’s career is not what the SABA and Guild Recruitment websites claim it to be? Perhaps he used to work as a real estate agent at Acutts?

“Several SABA students have sent me a photo of an infamous wine label. I’d say let the “high flying label owner” live in his fantasy. When I did wine tasting and learnt the process of wine-making in a certain touristy vineyard, and left with a bottle with my name on the label as a souvenir, I didn’t bother to snap a photo for social media and claim that I was launching a wine product, nor did I pose in front of the property and claim I owned it. I mean, why pose as a pseudo Big Shot and end up being a laughing stock?

“If anyone sees what looks like scam job ads, they should report it. If they see internet trolling, report it. Google, Facebook, Tweeter, Instagram are all monitored by regulators.” Ms. Lin Yang

Ed: We will publish with an invitation to Mr. Cross to respond to your allegations, as this letter goes beyond being a letter to the editor and is more of a challenge to SABA and an effort to raise questions that are probably best answered by the court proceeding. However, if fakery and fantasy are indeed existing in our profession, then alerting others is prudent so they can do their due diligence and form their own opinion based on what they find.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Tags letters to the editor, Plaza hotel butlers, SABA, SABA court case, Seeking challenges, South African Butler Academy

Letters to the Editor Newsletter

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, May 2021, Letters to the Editor

Post author By
Post date May 1, 2021
No Comments on The Modern Butlers’ Journal, May 2021, Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

Regarding that video shot in the Maldives

“Great memories. I have since learned how to hold a camera still! I learned so much that day, not least of which; how to tie a proper bow tie. You can’t spend a day with Steven Ferry and not come away wiser and more knowledgeable.” Frank Mitchell

Ed: What a lovely message, but I have to say, you are the one who is a mine of information on numerous topics, such as the ones you kindly provided columns on for the MBJ, and I never cease to be enthralled by your depth of knowledge. I still tell the story of when we were in the Maldives and someone had a golf cart modeled after a classic American car from the early 1960s, and you nailed the make and model. And there was I thinking your knowledge of cars was limited to every model down to the nuts and bolts of the Rolls Royce family! Hope all continues well for you.

Of Rice and Forks

“You’ve lived in America too long and worked in many places overseas but you certainly know how to upset a true Englishman and also an ex-sailor. You don’t know half the tradition that goes with port neither do you know about sailors hands. Why do you think we salute differently to other services? The public schools of England are proud of tradition and just because other countries have their traditions, they are still seeking the English way, so there!! Otherwise, my kindest to you both.” RF

Ed: I love it, thanks for the slap on the proverbial wrists. Yes, I found it upsetting too, but thems facts is thems facts and much as I love the English culture and way of life, I am concerned for its future. I would love to hear about those traditions in the Navy, though. I was told they never stood for the royal toast because they’d hit their heads on the rafters of the wooden sailing ships. Correct? If so, is it still the tradition?

“After perusing your forked article, I do so continue to get your point or, dare I say it, tang? I can see that despite Covid being forced upon us in conjunction with maniacal politics, you both are still at the zenith of your game. Bully for you!” LW

Ed: Good to know that you are holding your own through the bizarre efforts at governance being visited upon us. Dang, not a tang but a tine, but I get your point!

“Very thoughtful & interesting message, I especially liked the informative article you attached from Sara Goldsmith, The Rise of the Fork. My only observation regarding other comments is to say, ‘Each to their own.'” RS

Ed: “Glad you liked the message and especially that fascinating dive into fork history. It seems we do not just have strong coffee for which to thank the Iranians/Persians. Without contrary comments, we would never expand our horizons and knowledge, so we always welcome them.”

“On a few occasions, I have had the pleasure of dining in cultural settings where the norm was to eat with the fingers. Being game and with the, perhaps misguided, intention of being respectful to the culture, I had a go at eating with my fingers. Let me tell you – it is a learned skill and not nearly as easy or intuitive as one might imagine. I felt a little bit like a toddler making a mess at a highchair! I was even offered a fork out of pity, so my struggles did not go unnoticed. However, I was rewarded for my efforts with huge smiles and managed to keep the goat meat off my tie! I will never look at anyone struggling with an unfamiliar knife and fork again without remembering that, as children, we took years and tears to learn the skill.” FM

Ed: You must have cut quite a figure, tie and shirt, jacket perhaps, maybe even cross legged, struggling to eat rice with your fingers, (I imagine sticky rice is easier), but relieved that your tie remained goat-meat free! Thanks for sharing your excellent effort at cultural ambassadorship and taking away some worthwhile lessons!

SABA Again

“SABA lies about job offers. The work ads they place on social media are lies. Their skill is in advertising their so-called academy. The picture they create during training about butlering is one of a cruel and mean world. Their inferiority complex they disguise with arrogance and rudeness and is an experience to see. The teaching is so basic that it was on a par with what I learned in my mother’s house. I will never forget the unfairness with which they treated a person with skill and knowledge. I wish I could join the butlering school in Belgium—it is my dream. SABA was a bad experience. I had to resign my job, lost my bonus, lost my income and all for what? True lies and broken promises. Sadness is not a word, it’s a reality. The sadness is that they still carry on with their ways, catching others in the same net and nobody can warn them, so this mission of lies grows bigger and bigger.” CI

Ed: Thank you for having the courage to share your experiences and I am truly sorry that you (and others) were treated so poorly and have suffered so much. I do not know if you are already involved in the case, but if not, please do reach out to the chief litigant who can help guide you.

“Thank you for reply. I don’t have the time to become involved as I am back in Export logistics, which requires a lot of attention to details. I lost a lot of money, I lost a lot of precious time, and it is not worth my time defending myself against a lot of lies. I have had to bury my dream because of a fake company—another potentially excellent butler lost to the industry—it’s sad.” CI

Ed: I am sorry you had a dream and that it was dashed. I do understand you want to leave the whole subject behind you—we are sorry to have lost you as a potential member of the profession but wish you success as you move forward.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Tags Forks, letters to the editor, SABA, South African Butler Academy, Student complaints

Butler standards Newsletter SABA South African Butler Academy

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, May 2021, Update on SABA Court Case

Post author By Amer Vargas
Post date May 1, 2021
2 Comments on The Modern Butlers’ Journal, May 2021, Update on SABA Court Case

Update on SABA Court Case

On 4 Aug 2020, student Ms. Lin Yang instituted a Combined Summons at the Cape Town High Court against South African Butler Academy Close Corporation, Butler Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Butler Training (Pty) Ltd, Guild Recruitment Close Corporation, Mr. Newton Hilton Cross, Mr. Willem Adriaan Coetzer.
Instead of entering a plea, the defendants launched an interlocutory application requesting Ms. Lin Yang to put half a million rand security deposit, arguing that she is not a South African citizen, she does not live in Cape Town, etc.
Ms. Lin Yang successfully provided evidence that she does not need to pay a security deposit.
In March 2021, defendants withdrew the interlocutory application and a court order gave them 20 working days to plea.
Defendants failed to plea by the deadline.
On 7th April 2021, Ms. Lin Yang’s attorney served a Notice of Bar demanding defendants deliver their plea within 5 days.
On 12 April 2021, defendants finally delivered their plea, where they admitted making certain representations to Ms. Lin Yang.
Now enters the discovery process where Ms. Lin Yang and all six defendants will exchange evidence, after which, a pre-trial date will be applied.

Another name for the company

Note: The South African Butler Academy, SABA, has now added another name to its list of identities: Beverley Hills Virtual Butler Training Academy.

Intimidation

True to SABA’s usual response to complainants, their lawyers sent a letter to all those joining the case against them threatening to subpoena them unless they changed their story. Hardly ethical, maybe not even legal, but typical bluster: Lawyers normally subpoena their own witnesses, not those of the opposing side! But being subpoena’d assuredly sounds like something to be avoided for an individual fighting a lonely battle—however, the litigants are too many now to be fooled by, and cave in to such tactics.

One more sad story

While the Institute continues to receive letters about their experiences, one of which was published in the “letters to the editor” section this month, one of the ex-SABA graduates sent a copy of a very long letter of complaint to SABA’s lawyers—too long to include here, but her ending should be of interest to any student contemplating entering the profession through this company.

“Your clients, their employees and relatives may continue to post 5 stars in its Google review to glorify themselves. But the truth has already come out. Thanks to students’ words and media exposure.

“Three years ago when I did the course, I would not have had the courage to express my views. Like my classmates, I was trying to please SABA, Newton Cross, Adriaan Coetzer, and Guild Recruitment in the hope of getting a job after graduation. Now that I have lost to them every Navy pension I had and see other fellow students’ suffering, I am not afraid anymore. Your clients recorded a casual conversation between me and another fellow student when I did the course, and used the recording to intimidate me. I am not afraid anymore.

“Please advise your clients to stop harming students and robbing them of hard-earned savings without teaching them anything. What goes around comes around.” Melissa-Jane Quinn

While the Institute awaits the final verdict from the judiciary on the court case in order to confirm innocence or guilt of the defendants (assuming it is not derailed by SABA), we are always willing to hear and publish any honest effort by SABA to provide verifiable facts that contradict those presented by their ex-students, as opposed to efforts to malign them and anyone else questioning their narrative. We are still waiting. And in the meantime, we are committed to providing a voice to those students whom SABA failed to satisfy and then failed to handle once they made their difficulties and issues known.

Tags Court case, International Butler School Alliance., intimidation, Intimidation by SABA, SABA, Setting butler training standards, South African Butler Academy, unprofessional behavior