Durban - It never rains but it pours for the debt-soaked National Freedom Party after another businessman popped up and demanded to be paid R4.5 million owed to his company for producing the party’s office and campaign material in 2020.
The Pretoria businessman, Salana Jason Naidoo, recently wrote a letter to the party reminding the organisation that it had breached a payment agreement and should rectify that.
At the time the agreement was signed in April 2019, the NFP was represented by Bhungu Gwala, its former national chairperson, and Christopher Sibisi, its then acting secretary-general.
Gwala has since left to join the Abantu Batho Congress of Philani PG Mavundla, and is now the party’s councillor in eThekwini Municipality.
Sibisi recently won a court case in which his expulsion from the party was set aside by the Pietermaritzburg High Court. The NFP has filed papers to appeal the ruling.
At the time the agreement was reached, the NFP was required to pay a deposit of R100 000 on April 8, 2019, and the last tranche of the money was to be paid by November 30, 2021.
The party received the material it ordered, but never paid all the money to Salden Trading CC, owned by Naidoo.
NEWS: It never rains but it pours for the debts-soaked National Freedom Party (NFP) after another businessman popped up and demanded to be paid R4.5 million owed to his company for producing the party's office and campaign material in 2020.
At some point last year, Naidoo served the party with court papers to appear before the Pietermaritzburg High Court, but it is not clear what happened to the case.
Naidoo has since reiterated his demand for his money, which has now ballooned to R4.5m after it accumulated interest and other amounts were added to the sum.
In a letter dated April 26 this year, Naidoo told the NFP that he was still awaiting payment and pleaded with the party to urgently pay him.
“Salden Trading would like to bring to your attention that your party is in breach of our agreed payment arrangements.
“To date, we have received R150 000.00 from the original invoice total of R4 649 450.00. We therefore would like to place on record if the total outstanding balance of R4 499 450.00 is not paid by the 26 May 2023, we have no alternative but to proceed with liquidation of the party.
“Summons was served and we do have signed personal surety on the credit agreement.
“We await your urgent intervention,” Naidoo wrote to the party.
When asked about the letter to the NFP on Saturday, Naidoo said he was busy and asked to be contacted next week.
The secretary-general of the NFP, Canaan Mdletshe, asked to comment later, but never came back to IOL.
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