EFF’s bank account frozen over labour dispute – report

The Economic Freedom Fighter’s (EFF) bank account has been reportedly frozen by the Labour Court in Johannesburg.

The Sowetan reported on Monday that this comes after the party failed to pay its former researcher in the Limpopo legislature, Advocate Fenya Maabane, after he was fired from work in 2015 but won a case against his dismissal.

Maabane was sacked from his job by the EFF’s Limpopo secretary, Jossey Buthane, on allegations of absenteeism and failure to attend to official duties, the paper reported.

But Maabane challenged his dismissal at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which ruled that his removal was unfair “both procedurally and substantively”.

“The CCMA ordered that Maabane be paid a salary equivalent to seven months pay, amounting to more than R400 000.

“The party was given until February 2016 to settle the amount but failed to do so.

“Maabane took the matter to court, which ordered that the EFF’s assets be attached at its offices in Limpopo,” the report stated.

The value of the assets of the EFF’s Polokwane offices were found to be less than the stipulated amount by a court sheriff. This led to Maabane’s lawyers then applying to the court to attach the party’s head office assets in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, and its FNB bank account in Braamfontein was also attached on February 21.

The EFF applied to the CCMA for a rescission of an earlier judgment against it. The party said it was not aware of the commission’s award until March 10 when the order was enforced.

It also said Maabane was fired after a disciplinary hearing was instituted, but the CCMA last week reportedly dismissed the EFF’s application, saying it was way out of time.

The EFF said it was still able to use its bank account and that it had filed for condonation. Party leader Julius Malema told The Sowetan he was not aware of the case when approached for comment.

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