According to a report in SA Labour News yesterday the Sunday Times reported that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has been placed under provisional liquidation after failing to pay its former lawyer R.2.4-million in outstanding legal bills.
‘Johannesburg attorney David Maimane brought the application in the High Court in Johannesburg for debt dating back to March. Samwu cut ties with the firm, KD Maimane, on 3 June. In his founding affidavit, Maimane said Samwu owed the firm money for legal representation it had provided “to and on behalf of the members and for the respondent upon its instructions”. It seems that he had unsuccessfully tried to discuss the debt with the union on a number of occasions. The union said it would apply for the order to be repealed. “For the sake of peace we are prepared to pay them their two million,” Samwu general secretary Simon Mathe said on Friday. According to Mathe, the union had only become aware of the court case when it was issued with the provisional order last week’.
Municipal union Samwu placed under provisional liquidation over unpaid legal bill
- Based on a report by Siphe Macanda on page 5 of Sunday Times of 11 December 2016
- Read Macanda’s report in full at SA Labour News
- Read too, Staakgierige vakbond Samwu teen die planke, at Netwerk24 (limited access)