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Cape Town - Trade Union Solidarity said in a statement on Wednesday that it has reached a settlement with Khulubuse Zuma over the Aurora saga, after six years of lawsuits and many delays.
In terms of the agreement Zuma, who is the nephew of President Jacob Zuma, has to pay R23m in damages to the liquidators of the Pamodzi and Aurora mines, while the North Gauteng High Court issued a court order on Wednesday for the sequestration of the members of the Bhana family who were involved in the destruction of Aurora Empowerment Systems.
Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis said that former Aurora employees, who number about 5 300, will now receive part of their outstanding monies from the Zuma settlement and the income from the selling of the Bhanas' assets.
According to Du Plessis, Zuma has already made the first payment of R5m and he will have to pay a further R500 000 by the end of the day. Subsequently, Zuma must pay the next R16m in monthly payments of R500 000, with the final R2m to be paid in R100 000 monthly payments until the full sum of R23m has been settled.
“Solly, Fazel and Zubeida Bhana and Yaseem Theba have repeatedly failed to comply with the R5.9m damages agreement and have consequently been sequestrated today - in spite of their legal representatives' continued efforts to postpone the court proceedings of today - as has been the norm in the past,” Du Plessis said. Zuma, the Bhana family members and Theba were directors of Aurora.
He believes Theba and the Bhanas got off lightly, as the employees and their families have become poverty-stricken and the Pamodzi mine assets, valued at about R1.7bn, have been totally destroyed with 5 300 job opportunities lost.
“Fortunately the criminal charges against the Bhanas will continue and Solidarity appeals to the National Prosecuting Authority to prosecute the Bhanas and their accomplices as soon as possible,” Du Plessis said.
An application for the liquidation of Thulani Ngubane, Zondwa Mandela, Feroza Bhana and Shamilla Essay is to follow in due course, said Solidarity.
Du Plessis said in 2015 that although the average claim of the Solidarity members is R51 000, in terms of the relevant legislation they could only receieve a maximum of R28 000 each.
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