President Jacob Zuma and his former wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, owe their body corporate R120 000 for electricity, water and rates for two flats they own in a building in Saratoga Avenue in Berea, Joburg.
And, because the entire building where his units are situated is in arrears of R1.8 million for their municipal services, the electricity to Saratoga Gardens was cut off two weeks ago.
It appears that the president has either not been informed of the arrears, or has forgotten that he owns the two units on the fifth floor, where he and his son once lived.
The building was hijacked seven years ago by some of the sectional title unit owners, who formed a committee and persuaded tenants and other owners to pay the levy money over to them, claiming they would do maintenance work on the building. This never happened, and they did not pay the building’s municipal bills. This was reported to the Scorpions, and the main perpetrator was arrested and deported to Zimbabwe.
The owners reclaimed their units – but not Zuma.
A person by the name of Lucky, who is apparently disabled and in a wheelchair, carried on collecting the rent for Zuma’s two units.
About four months ago, unit owners applied to have the building placed under administration because of the escalating debt to the council.
The tenants in Zuma’s two units have just been persuaded to pay their rent over to the administrators, and said they would start doing so from this month.
One tenant, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the flat is partitioned off into small sections that are all rented out.
“We have nine people living in the flat, but from next month we will not be paying Lucky any more, but the managers of the building,” she said.
An attorney acting on behalf of Zuma, Julia Mohammed, who was collecting the rent for him, said although the president and his former wife, as owners, were responsible for the levies, there was an agreement with tenants in both units that they would pay the levies to the managing agent at the time. She claimed to know nothing about Lucky.
“I did not know about these arrears and I am sure Mr Zuma is not aware of this debt. But I will find out, and once he becomes aware of it, I am sure he will settle it,” she said.
The Zumas purchased the two units in 1993 for R80 000 each.
The president’s spokesman, Mac Maharaj, said the flats in question “have been on lease to people not related to the president for more than five years. The president is very concerned about this development and will attend to it urgently,” he said.
Dlamini-Zuma’s spokesman, Clayson Monyela, did not respond to an e-mail for comment.
In the meantime, Saratoga Gardens residents’ greatest fear is that they will have to celebrate Christmas in the dark.
One resident said it was unfair that they were being punished, even though their rent and electricity accounts were up to date.
“Why are they making our lives so difficult when we are paying?” he asked. - The Star