The ANC and Ezulwini Investments have settled their matter out of court. This brings to an end a bitter four-year showdown. The matter saw the sheriff knocking at the party’s headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg earlier this month.
Contract for 2019 election banners
The party had a contract with the KwaZulu-Natal marketing firm to create 30, 000 election banners worth R2,900 each, which were used for the 2019 election campaign.
The party owed Ezulwini R102-million plus interest for the products and services. A lawyer for Ezulwini recently told news channel Newzroom Afrika that the company would accept R75-million as a compromise.
Mbalula had denied debt
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula this month told a media briefing that the party “doesn’t owe the Ezulwini thugs”. He said the move by the sheriff to attach the ANC’s assets was nothing short of an unnecessary movie staged to embarrass the governing party.
On Friday the party released a media statement, confirming that the matter has been settled.
About-turn and settlement
“The ANC confirms that it has settled out of court with Ezulwini Investments. The matter has been resolved in the best interest of both parties,” said ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri. In the two-sentence statement, she neither disclosed the settlement amount nor the terms of the agreement.
The sheriff, who had parked a big truck outside Luthuli House earlier this month, was there to execute a notice of attachment.
However, the sheriff left without having had executed the warrant.
After the sheriff of the court came knocking at Luthuli House, the party announced intentions to appeal a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) judgement.
Sheriff of the court saga
However, the sheriff left the party head office without having had executed the warrant.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri had said in a statement the party planned on heading to the Constitutional Court to appeal the previous judgement.
Court appeal, U-turn
“The ANC will appeal the decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal in the Ezulweni matter in the Constitutional Court of SA.”
The SCA last month dismissed the party’s application to admit evidence. According to court papers, Ezulwini claimed to have concluded an agreement on February 20 2019 with the ANC.
However, the out-of-court settlement means the matter is now concluded and will no longer be heard in court.
