The Economic Freedom Fighters' (EFF) bank account has been frozen on the orders of Johannesburg's Labour Court after the party failed to pay a former employee who was unfairly dismissed two years ago, the Sowetan reported on Monday.
In 2015, the party's then researcher in the Limpopo legislature, Advocate Fenya Maabane, was dismissed by EFF Limpopo secretary Jossey Buthane based on allegations of absenteeism and failure to attend to official duties.
Maabane challenged the decision through the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which ruled in his favour. His dismissal was found to be unfair "both procedurally and substantively", the Sowetan reported.
According to the paper, the CCMA ordered that Maabane be paid a salary equivalent to seven months pay, amounting to more than R400,000. The party was given until February 2016 to settle the payment but failed to do so. Maabane's lawyers took the matter to the Labour Court to apply for the freezing of the party's bank account, which was granted.
The EFF's account, held at the First National Bank branch in Braamfontein, was attached on February 21. The EFF then applied to the CCMA for repeal of an earlier judgment against it, claiming it was not aware of the CCMA award until March 10 when the order was enforced.
However, the CCMA dismissed the party's application last week, explaining that the party was out of time. According to the Sowetan, Malema was not aware of the case when the paper approached him for comment.
EFF Limpopo secretary Jossey Buthane said the party was still using the account.
HuffPost SA contacted EFF representatives but did not get a response.