MERCEDES Benz has been accused of “expropriating the design of the new X Class bakkie without compensating” the person who came up with it.
The person making the startling allegation is 24-year-old Limpopo native Kgothatso Bosoga (who also calls himself D’wayne KxRomeo).
He believes his 2013 design inspired the new luxury vehicle.
Bosoga, who says he has been designing cars since the age of 7, is now seeking assistance to get what he believes is due to him.
He said he was in touch with Mercedes-Benz on social media and shared his design. He was later surprised to see the car in production.
“In 2013 I was talking to Mercedez-Benz and they said I should send them my design. It was a Mercedez-Benz bakkie. I sent them my sketch. They never came back to me. They took that design and sold it to Mercedes-Benz Germany,” he said.
In a series of screenshots dated March 12, 2013, Bosoga and Mercedes-Benz are talking about the vehicle, with the carmaker showing an interest in his idea of creating a bakkie. It asks him to attach the image of the message.
Bosoga responds by saying he is struggling to attach the image.
He eventually gets it right and sends a sketch of the vehicle.
The exchanges cease until April 2, 2013, when he contacts Mercedes-Benz again.
“You were talking to me before I sent my design but after sending it you’re ignoring me are you stealing my design ? Please don’t steal my design coz (sic) I really love it and I wanna be the one to come up with that Mercedese (sic) ”
Mercedes-Benz SA (MBSA) responded by saying it had not stolen the idea and was seeking permission to post the design on their social media wall.
“Hi Romeo, not to worry, we haven’t stolen your design.
“In fact, we’d like to post it on our wall, if you’re okay with that.
“We love getting input from our customers,” the carmaker said.
Bosoga said he did not hear from Mercedez again.
To his amazement, he later saw the vehicle had been produced and launched on the market.
He said he had approached lawyers, but none was willing to take on the vehicle maker.
“They made that bakkie without my permission.
“Now I don’t know what to do. When I approach lawyers they say it’s a long process. They are not taking me seriously. Maybe it’s because I’m from a poor Limpopo family.
“I need help. I need someone who can help me. Sometimes I sit and cry alone because there is no one who can help,” he said.
MBSA spokesperson Sbu Mkwanazi said the company was aware of Bosoga's claims but did not have all the facts.
“We are still investigating. As soon as we have the facts, we will send out a statement,” he said.
But in a bizarre turn of events, one of the people who has been trying to help Bosoga is starting to doubt his credibility.
Speaking on condition of anony- mity, the person believes he might be a fraudster.
“This boy initially claimed to be a village boy who did not understand many things. He was sent legal documents to sign in order to get representation, but he claimed he did not have money to access it.
“He was sent money to go to Polokwane, but after getting it, he disappeared.
“Another issue encountered was that he had a Facebook page where he claimed to be a Mercedes-Benz technician. But when he was quizzed on it, he removed the page.
“When pressed on why he did that, he claimed to be just a village boy who did not understand social media. He said someone in the family opened the page for him to get attention, but he posted his design on Mercedes’ page in 2013,” said the person.