The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are taking legal action against former President Jacob Zuma. The party claims that Zuma is deliberately avoiding the enforcement of a court order after the Sheriff of the Court made multiple unsuccessful attempts to serve him.
In November last year, the EFF instructed its lawyers to attach Zuma’s Nkandla homestead over the legal costs he owes them that amount to R1.3 million.
This is in relation to two matters: The review of remedial action in the Public Protector’s report in relation to Nkandla and the application to not be held liable for the legal costs linked to his attempt to withdraw his urgent application to interdict then Public Protector, Adv. Thuli Madonsela.
“Fighters, in all the cases we won against Jacob Zuma, he has never paid the legal fees. Zuma owes us money for these legal fees, and we have a court order requiring him to pay. However, he has not complied with this order. We have just instructed our lawyer to take necessary actions to ensure he pays us back. Once again, I want to emphasize: in every case we’ve won against Zuma, he has not settled the legal fees,” says EFF leader Julius Malema.
Following this instruction, the Sheriff of the Court has not been able to attach the assets of Zuma.
The EFF says Zuma has dodged the Sheriff on three occasions, whenever an attempt had been made to serve him. Now the party says it has no choice but to escalate the matter.
“As the EFF, we think it’s unfortunate that Mr. Jacob Zuma is avoiding the Sheriff of the Court, who wants to serve him with the papers necessary to attach the assets for the money that is owed to the legal representatives of the EFF. He’s attempted to be served on three occasions and has been claiming to not be home, yet has been seen publicly hosting events in Nkandla, which is a clear indication of an undermining of the rule of law. The EFF is left with no choice with our legal representatives but to approach the court to seek remedial action to make sure that the letter of execution that is attempted to be served to Zuma is executed, as he’s blatantly avoiding the execution in the courts,” says EFF Member of Parliament Sinawo Thambo.
When the uMkhonto weSizwe party was asked for a reaction at their Gauteng rally last year, a member of the party’s High Command, Adv. Dali Mpofu, responded.
“Well, the law will take its course; we are a party that is law-abiding; we have said in all our statements that the uMkhonto weSizwe of 1961 used the ballot; ours is to use the ballot, so they must bring it on.”
Meanwhile, the Jacob Zuma Foundation says it will not be drawn to comment on the matter.
