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CASH CRUNCH

Court order has created ‘existential crisis’, says ANC, as it moves to unfreeze bank accounts

The ANC will, on Tuesday, 21 October, seek to urgently overturn a court order attaching its bank accounts, as its national operations are at ‘an abrupt and complete standstill’.
Court order has created ‘existential crisis’, says ANC, as it moves to unfreeze bank accounts Illustrative image: Luthuli House. (Photo: Luba Lesolle / Gallo Images) | A man carries a stack of chairs. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla / Netwerk24 -image altered with permission using Gemini Flash Image 2.5) | Melting ANC logo / (Image: Wikimedia)

“The freezing of these bank accounts has created a situation of complete operational paralysis,” said the ANC’s treasurer-general, Gwen Ramokgopa, in an affidavit opposing a recent court order attaching its bank accounts.

“The ANC is unable to pay the salaries of its hundreds of employees across all nine provinces … pay its creditors and service providers for essential services … fund its ongoing political, social and community programmes, provide the necessary support for its public representatives or conduct any meaningful preparations for upcoming by-elections and the forthcoming 2026 local government elections,” she laid out.

Ramokgopa described this situation as “existential” for the ANC. The party owes Ezulweni Investments R85-million on an old debt for printing posters, banners and other election paraphernalia.

Ezulweni is a medium-sized Durban-based company owned by Renash Ramdas, who is a loyal party cadre. Ramdas agreed to a settlement agreement with the party in December 2023, and the ANC gave it extra work for the 2024 election.

However, court papers reveal that the party experienced financial difficulties and repeatedly failed to make the agreed-upon payments. There are many pages of WhatsApp messages from Ramdas, asking for his money from an ANC finance official, as noted in court documents.

Party officials have no equipment and little furniture after the sheriff attached goods worth R140,000 at the party's Luthuli House headquarters early in October. The ANC also now risks an unprecedented insolvency application, as reported here.

Ramokgopa said the failure to pay staff caused anxiety, while the party’s reputation was being battered.

Gwen Ramokgopa. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla / Daily Maverick)
Gwen Ramokgopa. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla / Daily Maverick)

The ANC’s lawyers will argue that the settlement agreement, which included an additional order for goods “novated” or replacing the old contract with the new, means legal proceedings need to be restarted.

Attorney Shafique Sarlie obtained the attachment order against the ANC based on a previous judgment stayed by the settlement.

“Ezulweni’s unlawful actions have precipitated an immediate and existential crisis for the ANC, threatening its very ability to operate as a national political organisation and to fulfil its role within South Africa’s constitutional democracy,” said Ramokgopa.

The ANC says a forensic investigation found that Ezulweni charged VAT on the party’s orders before it registered as a VAT vendor with SARS in August 2019. The company says that its application for registration had been lodged with the revenue authority.

Thando Maeko in Business Day reported this week that both ActionSA and the DA want the Electoral Commission of SA  to investigate the ANC settlement agreement, as it may amount to an undeclared political donation. DM

Comments

Mike Lawrie Oct 14, 2025, 11:22 PM

Not only can the ANC not run South Africa, it cannot manage its own affairs. What a joke.

Allen Russell Oct 15, 2025, 07:44 AM

Karma is coming back to bite the ANC! All there corrupt activities and robbing Southern Africans of a decent affordable life! It's time for them to suffer like all poor people in this country are suffering! ANC the wheel is turning and the pointer is pointing at you!

gfogell Oct 15, 2025, 09:12 AM

No joke. It just adds to the perception that the ANC has no idea how to run a business, let alone a municipality or a country. Yes, a political party *is* effectively a business.

libby Oct 15, 2025, 07:42 AM

So the chickens tend to come home to roost.

6141840 Oct 15, 2025, 08:04 AM

As far as ANC governance is concerned, it has been "at a complete standstill" for decades! About three, I think.

Cobble Dickery Oct 15, 2025, 08:12 AM

The ANC seems to think because of its struggle history, that it is something special, and that is must be above normal life things like paying one's bills.

Wilhelm van Rooyen Oct 15, 2025, 08:17 AM

and still nobody on a plane to Tehran??

Linda Horsfield Horsfield Oct 16, 2025, 01:11 PM

No - it will be Dubai, which is probably where Nathi Mthethwa is living....

Oct 15, 2025, 08:48 AM

The ANC is learning what the bitter fruits of Marxism, Revolution, 'Comradeship', and Cadre Deployments actually taste like. The EFF and MK are privy to these self same tastings and the rescue of SA by the DA is now imperative, albeit too late to forestall probable civic unrest.

gfogell Oct 15, 2025, 09:16 AM

If the DA were to become the majority party, it would take a decade at least to start undoing the damage wrought in the last 30 years of mismanagement. But they do need to deal with perception of white liberalism. It is way past time for "colour" to come out of politics.

Helen Lachenicht Oct 17, 2025, 06:42 AM

From your lips to God's ears! The ANC was the darling of the world, how different SA could have been today! I think of the quote by Jan Smuts: South Africa is in such a dangerous place, only God can save us, but all can help!

Confucious Says Oct 15, 2025, 08:50 AM

Ummm the party's reputation was already battered! Cannot even run a bath!

Oct 15, 2025, 10:15 AM

Would you place it on an even footing with the ANC, EFF, MK. parties hmmm?

Una West Oct 15, 2025, 08:52 AM

The money is there, just not where it is supposed to be. The ANC needs only to look at its own members, particularly the ostentatious ones, for the reasons it can't pay its bills.

Hilary Morris Oct 15, 2025, 09:24 AM

The righteous indignation expressed by Ms Gwen Ramakgopa is one of the funniest things I've read in years. Positively rolling on the floor with mirth material. Perhaps a few members could be persuaded to sacrifice a Lamborghini or a Gucci bag or two? This whole debacle is Trumpian in scale and lack of self awareness. It seems graft and corruption don't pay after all?

superjase Oct 15, 2025, 12:04 PM

"... while the party’s reputation was being battered." lol

kate.posthumus Oct 15, 2025, 12:17 PM

Given that we are supposed to have a separation of Party and State, this should have no impact on State/Government work, only on Party issues. So good luck finding any sympathy from taxpayers. We've been playing by the rules while the ANC has gotten away with not paying service providers and staff for so long, they must think it's just business as normal.

Jay Vyas Oct 15, 2025, 12:55 PM

Get Mama Aston Duracell Bunny to Lift the Rand, Sorry the Phone and Call the Ayatollah for a Bail Out! I Rest My Case!

John P Oct 16, 2025, 04:54 PM

Please explain

David Walker Oct 15, 2025, 01:23 PM

What a delightful and most welcome turn of events. South Africans are set to benefit greatly.

Sandra Goldberg Oct 15, 2025, 02:43 PM

So there we have it- the ANC unable to manage its financial affairs- so did the comrades loot its own as well?

William Thorne Oct 15, 2025, 04:21 PM

So it appears the bottom of the trough is a little rough on the snout.

Johan Buys Oct 15, 2025, 04:39 PM

If the ANC cannot appoint competent and honest cadres in government and SOE, what makes anybody surprised that its own finances resemble a mixture of PRASA, SANRAL, Post Office, Transnet, Denel and Eskom?

Nick Steen Oct 15, 2025, 09:14 PM

The court order didn’t create the existential crisis for the ANC, they created it for themselves. While most of the elite cadres have never had to actually pay for anything themselves, they are for the first time finding that that is how the world works and contrary to their beliefs they don’t get or deserve free rides

Mike Schroeder Oct 15, 2025, 11:30 PM

"...the party’s reputation was being battered" Well then pay your bills on time!!

colin89 Oct 16, 2025, 07:37 AM

They will do what they always do - appeal and lose - then appeal again and again.

Oct 16, 2025, 10:24 AM

Isn’t it amazing how guilty parties see everyone and everything responsible for the predicament into which they have single handedly and single mindedly driven themselves.

Linda Horsfield Horsfield Oct 16, 2025, 01:10 PM

Now that there are opposition Ministers and MPs serving on oversight committees the ANC cadres are battling to steal enough funds to fund their criminal syndicate masquerading as a political party.

Linda Horsfield Horsfield Oct 16, 2025, 01:15 PM

Am I mistaken but aren't all the ANC officials and their family and friends multi millionaires, if not billionaires, thanks to the ANC policy of cadre deployment and Black Elite Enrichment which grants tenders based on race and not value for money????

Patterson Alan John Oct 17, 2025, 01:35 AM

These reports are eye candy for me. All the shenanigans in Lootuli House are being exposed and further expose's will reveal the extent of the shady activities. These characters have been vaccinated against scruples and it appears that Lootuli House is the training ground for SOE executives.