The ANC has been dragged into a R30m debt dispute involving a British donor and a local company that supplied the party’s elections campaign regalia ahead of the May 29 polls.
At the core of the imbroglio is the British national Frederick Kevin Borde-Kuofie’s failure to pay the money to the local company that supplied the party with the elections paraphernalia.
The election gear, which consisted of ANC T-shirts bearing party President Cyril Ramaphosa’s face, ANC-branded beanies as well as doeks, were delivered to the party and distributed to its members and supporters during the campaign season.
According to records seen by Sunday World, the garb included more than 500 000 T-shirts, 50 000 beanies and 150 000 ANC doeks.
This donation allegedly happened despite the Political Party Funding Act explicitly stating that donations from foreign nationals are prohibited unless they are for skills development.
Under chapter 3 of the act, “prohibited donations”, it states that “political parties may not accept a donation from any of the following sources: (a) foreign governments or foreign government agencies; (b) subject to subsection (4), foreign persons or entities; (c) organs of state; or (d) state-owned enterprises.”
Subsection 4 (b) of the act allows political parties in South Africa to only “accept donations from foreign entities for the purpose of – (a) training or skills development of a member of a political party; or (b) policy development by a political party.”
Despite acknowledging the debt, Borde-Kuofie has not paid the local supplier that printed the material. This newspaper has seen a written acknowledgement of the debt by Borde-Kuofie, committing to pay up in June but is yet to do so three months later.
“I, Frederick Kevin Borde-Kuofie, managing director of HFSC Financial Services, and holder of a British passport, do hereby acknowledge that we engaged into a business transaction with (company name known to Sunday World) for the supply of goods detailed below, which were completed successfully and delivered to the value as stated,” Borde-Kuofie wrote.
Sunday World has seen delivery slips stating the ANC as the receiver of the deliveries of multitudes of bags containing T-shirts, doeks and beanies, some of which were
offloaded at Luthuli House, the ANC’s headquarters in Joburg.
Most of the deliveries were in Gauteng as well as in KwaZulu-Natal and the contact person for the deliveries was listed as Borde-Kuofie. On other delivery slips, he was listed with the ex-girlfriend of ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile, Norma Mbatha.
Mbatha and Borde-Kuofie could also be seen in a picture with the ANC T-shirts in one of the warehouses in Gauteng, where the campaign merchandise was stored.
ANC’s Progressive Business Forum (PBF) chief executive officer, Humaira Choonara-Thebe, was also listed as “contact person” on some delivery slips.
The PBF is one of ANC’s fundraising platforms and usually hosts gala dinners, business breakfasts and gold days to woo business people to donate to the ANC.
Choonara-Thebe confirmed meeting the British man.
“Yes, I have met this gentleman as chairperson of one of the companies that sought to work with us during the election campaign. At this stage, the process of tallying-up [numbers] and reconciling everything is still ongoing and can be shared with you once complete. I am certainly not aware of any matters relating to his business,” she said.
However, Luthuli House has since denied knowledge of Borde-Kuofie, despite the deliveries that were made to Pixley Seme Street.
Mbatha has acknowledged knowing the British national, whom she accuses of owing her more than R500 000 in unpaid debt. The debt is a result of a commitment that Borde-Kuofie made to settle the costs of a mini-rally that was held in Johannesburg before the May 29 general elections.
After Borde-Kuofie reneged on his agreement, insists Mbatha, she was forced to foot the bill and has since been chasing the Briton to recoup her money without success.
“You continued to assure me that all expenses would be reimbursed. You also offered additional items like ANC wraps, beanies and more T-shirts for the mini-rally. I funded transportation to deliver these items from Joburg to Alexandra in two loads.
“You kept assuring me up until the last day of the event,” wrote Mbatha to Borde-Kuofie in a letter wherein ANC treasurer-general Gwen Ramokgopa is copied.
“It has become evident that you have no intention of paying this money and that you are a dishonest individual with hidden agendas that contribute to the ongoing issues in our country without consequences.”
Mbatha has since opened a fraud case against Borde-Kuofie, who did not respond to several attempts seeking his comment.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and treasurer-general Gwen Ramokgopa said the party did not know the man from a bar of soap.
