Pretoria - The application to have the sequestration case against EFF leader Julius Malema postponed was dismissed by the High Court in Pretoria on Monday.
“I am of the view that the arrival of council for the respondent (Malema) this morning (with the application for postponement) is nothing but a delaying tactic and abuse of the system, which the court should not tolerate,” Judge Bill Prinsloo said in his judgment.
“The application for postponement is dismissed.”
This came after Malema's legal team brought an application asking for the matter to be postponed because he wanted to have an admission of liability, which he signed last year during negotiations with the SA Revenue Service (Sars), set aside.
He also wanted the sequestration case postponed until his pending criminal case was finalised.
The Sars opposed the application for a postponement.
According to court documents, Malema owed R16m plus interest after failing to submit tax returns between 2006 and 2010.
In 2010, Sars contacted Malema about his failure to submit tax returns.
It took Malema 18 months, after many attempts by Sars, to file his outstanding returns.
Malema also failed to register the Ratanang Trust for tax purposes, and Sars had to do this on his behalf. - Sapa