Johannesburg - A travel agency is considering taking action to attach savings accounts and properties of senior ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) leaders after the organisation’s failure to settle more than R6million in debt.
On Tuesday, Spencer Samuel of Atlantis Corporate Travel said his agency was considering taking more drastic punitive measures to recoup R6.3m from women’s league leaders and officials.
An auction was due to be held at their party offices in Luthuli House on Tuesday but no bids were made for items such as computers, desks and telephones.
The travel agency said the debt related to travel arrangements it had made for ANCWL leaders, members and officials.
When the league failed to pay, the agency approached the high court in Johannesburg, which ordered the ANC to pay R6.3m, including 13% interest in July last year.
After the ANCWL failed to pay this amount, the agency said it was forced to approach the Sheriff for Johannesburg Central to attach goods.
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Samuel said they were now considering attaching immovable property and bank accounts.
“We cannot comment on which property would be attached, this would only be considered after consultation with our attorney and necessary investigations made,” Samuel said.
He confirmed that their latest decision was because of their failure to secure bids for the women’s league property, which was meant to be auctioned on Tuesday.
“The auction did go ahead. It was not cancelled or postponed. However, no property was auctioned or bids made. The sheriff will now proceed to issue us with a nulla bona (non-service) certificate meaning, in short, that nothing was realised at the auction,” Samuel said.
He said there had been no settlement offers made as yet.
“There was no settlement or so much as a settlement offer whatsoever. The ANC has merely indicated to the sheriff that it intends making an offer or arranging a meeting to settle but no communication has been forthcoming to us or our attorneys,” he said.
Samuel said their next step once they had the non-service certificate would be to proceed with the recovery process which would be to attach bank accounts and immovable property.
“We will not stop until they have paid the sum due and owing to us lawfully,” Samuel said.
A financial report on the ANC tabled by former ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize at last month’s elective conference confirmed the party was indebted to Atlantis Corporate Travel.
According to the report, which has been seen by Independent Media, the ANCWL was advised to enter into a payment agreement with the company but the party puts the amount of its indebtedness at R5.2m.
ANCWL spokesperson Toko Xasa was not available for comment on Tuesday.