Big spender Khulubuse Zuma will feel the heat on Monday to reveal what caused the destruction of the Grootvlei and Orkney mines under his liquidated Aurora Empowerment Systems.
On Monday, Zuma, the nephew of President Jacob Zuma and chairman of Aurora, is scheduled to testify at the Pamodzi Gold mine liquidation hearings after numerous delays in which he blamed his obesity and the lack of a Zulu translator for his non-appearances.
“Zuma is obviously under real pressure now,” remarked Gideon du Plessis, the deputy general secretary of the trade union Solidarity.
“In terms of the Companies Act, he can be held liable in his personal capacity for everything that went wrong at the two Aurora operations.
“He needs to disclose if he is not responsible for the destruction, financial misappropriation and non-compliance with legislation, who is then responsible. That’s his opportunity on Monday.
“If he fails to convince the inquiry, then he will be held responsible. I have no doubt he will come with full disclosure because it’s in his best interests,” said Du Plessis.
Aurora was removed from running the liquidated Pamodzi Gold mining assets after its directors, which include Zondwa Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s grandson, failed to pay thousands of workers and stripped both mines.
Zuma, who splurged on a Maserati for his fiancee last month, as revealed by the Sunday Times, is known for his lavish lifestyle and luxury stays in five-star hotels.
This week, Zuma was ordered to pay R10 million to Protea Coin Group, which had guarded Grootvlei in Springs, after racking up huge debts.
Johan Engelbrecht, a liquidator for Pamodzi Gold, said he was waiting anxiously for Zuma’s testimony.
“He did indicate he will give us his full co-operation. The whole purpose of the inquiry is to determine what happened and what action we’ll take, and what exactly the role of Zuma and Mandela was in Aurora,” he said, adding that Protea Coin Group is one of a list of creditors “standing in a queue”.
Liquidators are now issuing summons against both Thulani Ngubane, the commercial director at Aurora, and Mandela to testify in front of a magistrate, for their failure to testify at the hearings.
“If they don’t abide by the summons, arrest will most probably follow. If there is nothing to hide, why are they refusing to testify?”
Ngubane reacted: “I look forward to them subpoenaing me again.
To testify in front of a magistrate will be the best thing ever. The commissioner (in the liquidation hearings) has never been in the middle.”
Elphus Mabunda, who worked for 11 years as a operator at the Grootvlei mine, did not have the money for school uniforms for his four children in Bushbuckridge this week.
“I get money for food from my best friend and my family, but we are all struggling and living on the brink.
“I didn’t have money to see my family at Christmas and I don’t know how they are surviving anymore.
“From my side I don’t even have one cent to my name.” - Saturday Star