KZN cattle owners accuse EFF of dodging payments owed for animals bought for Siyabonga rally

Animal owners who supplied the cattle that EFF leaders slaughtered during the party’s post-municipal elections celebrations in January have taken the party to court.

They claim they have not been paid for their animals.

The EFF celebrations, which saw several cattle being slaughtered for the main Siyabonga (Thank You) rally held in Durban in January, have left two cattle owners from Impendle near Pietermaritzburg, bitter.

Simangaliso Ndlovu, a pensioner, and Jerome Zuma supplied two cattle for the party’s uMgungundlouvu Siyabonga celebration rally which took place in Howick in February.

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Ndlovu, who lodged papers in Pietermaritzburg’s small claims court on Monday in a bid to compel the EFF to pay him R14 500 for the cow he supplied, said he decided to initiate legal processes after EFF leaders had sent him from “pillar to post”.

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“When I was approached by one of the EFF leaders here in the uMgungundlovu region, I immediately agreed to supply the party with the cattle they needed. I was told the money will be deposited into my bank account.

“However, up to this day no money has been deposited, and each time I ask the EFF leaders about the money they come up with all sorts of excuses. I would like the court to assist me to get my money,” said Ndlovu.

Zuma, who has also approached the small claims court, said he was promised R14 000 for his cow.
In the November municipal elections, the EFF secured 25 seats across the region’s municipalities.
The results represented a big improvement from the seven seats which the EFF secured in the 2016 municipal elections.

EFF regional chairperson, Mzwakhe Mpulo, said while he had no evidence to dispute Ndlovu’s and Zuma’s version that they supplied the cattle which were slaughtered during the party’s regional Siyabonga rally, he denied that the EFF owed them any money.

The agreement was between the two gentlemen and an individual, who at the time happened to be a member of the EFF. The agreement was certainly not between the EFF and the two gentlemen.

According to Mpulo, the agreement was between Ndlovu, Zuma and David Msomi, who at the time was the EFF regional secretary.

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Msomi has since died.

Mpulo denied that the EFF regional leadership had been sending Ndlovu and Zuma from pillar to post.

It’s completely not true. In fact, they met me here at the EFF regional offices in Pietermaritzburg and I explained to them that the late regional secretary was not representing the EFF when he sourced the cattle. He did it in his personal capacity.

According to Mpulo, EFF councillors had contributed money and other items for the regional rally.

The rally was funded by the councillors themselves and not by the EFF.