The historic R150-million debt of the ANC to Ezulweni Investments has come back to haunt the former majority party after it allegedly defaulted on making quarterly payments, and the latter is now threatening to take the party to court once again.
The company is reportedly threatening legal action against the ANC after it made a few payments based on an out-of-court settlement reached in December 2023, following Ezulweni’s court action to liquidate the ANC.
The liquidation would have barred the party from participating in the May 2024 elections.
To avert that, it reached out to the company for a settlement whose details were never disclosed by both parties but sparked calls to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to investigate how the ANC got the money to settle the debt that was accrued when the company printed election material for the party in 2019.
It now appears that the ANC made several payments, subsequently questioned some of the invoices, and requested a meeting with the owner of the Newcastle-based company.
This situation has annoyed the owner, who wrote to the ANC and demanded payment; otherwise, he will go to court to obtain a writ of execution and attach the party’s assets.
This is contained in a letter dated July 31, which was sent to Gwen Ramakgopa, the treasurer-general of the ANC.
Party’s failure to attend meetings
The company also voiced its concerns regarding the party’s failure to attend meetings.
“It appears that the ANC has become ignorant of the extension that Ezulweni Investments has given the party and continues to abuse time periods for payments, amounts paid, and withholding adequate communication.
“As the governing party of South Africa — responsible for the reputation of the country and its citizens — it is immensely unprofessional to arrange meetings and cancel just hours before, without considering the fact that Ezulweni Investments also has other clients, travel time, and other matters to deal with.
“Above all, Ezulweni Investments has repeatedly put the ANC as its priority, but the ANC could not and has never done the same. The ANC could not honour simple meetings repeatedly, which is frustrating for Ezulweni Investments.
“Please inform us as to what time we will have our proof of payment tomorrow [August 1, 2025] for this quarter [we are aware that you have received your IEC allocation].
“We are confident that you have not repeated your previous mistake of not allocating the agreed payment to Ezulweni,” reads a letter seen by Sunday World.
ANC disputes the invoices
The company added that the ANC is manipulating the country into believing that it has fully paid its debt so that the ANC could contest the elections.
The company also stated that it has identified a pattern in which the ANC requests a meeting whenever a payment is due, either to prolong the payment, negotiate discounts, or find faults that delay the payments.
“This is unacceptable. We wish to make all our dealings with you transparent and feel like we have shielded the ANC unnecessarily.
“The party has abused our good faith, patience, and sympathy, and we are now exhausted with the behaviour of the ANC — financially and emotionally. The public eye is unaware of the true situation,” further reads the letter.
Ramakgopa responded by sending the party’s lawyers, who persisted in disputing the invoices sent by Ezulweni.
“On the advice of our client’s legal counsel, no payment will be effectuated, and our client invites you to a meeting with its forensic auditor so that you may be apprised of developments from the last payment to date,” the lawyers of the ANC responded in a letter dated August 1.
When questioned about the party reneging on the out-of-court settlement, ANC national spokesperson Hlengiwe Bhengu-Motsiri remained silent.
