The Johannesburg High Court has granted the African National Congress (ANC) leave to defend itself against efforts to force the party to return Brett Kebble’s donations, Business Day reported on Tuesday.
Trustees of the slain mining magnate’s estate have been trying to force the party to return R3,5-million as well as R875 000 given to the party’s Youth League.
The case is expected to take at least two years to get to court.
The trustees contend that the ANC donations were ”dispositions without value” in terms of the Insolvency Act. This made it illegal for Kebble to make donations to these organisations when his liabilities exceeded his assets.
Some of the money was allegedly taken illegally out of companies JCI and Randgold & Exploration at the time Kebble was their CEO.
Earlier this month the trustees took ANC Youth League members Lunga Ncwana and Songezo Mjongile and Fikza Investment Holdings to the Cape High Court to recover R5,7-million. The trustees have said Kebble paid this to them over a three-year period when he was in deep financial trouble.
The application for a ruling to recover the money was withdrawn by the trustees to allow the three to oppose the court action. The matter is also to go to trial, reported Business Day.
ANC politician and businessman Chris Nissen and the Democratic Alliance have both returned money received from Kebble. – Sapa