ANC assets face seizure over R880k Bidvest debt - TimesLIVE

The ANC faces the prospect of having its assets attached and sold to settle an R880,000 debt after the Johannesburg high court granted a default judgment against the party over unpaid cleaning, hygiene and pest-control services at its Luthuli House headquarters.

Bidvest Services, trading as Bidvest Steiner, secured judgment for R880,359.68 against the ANC, with the amount accruing interest from February 12 until it is paid. The ANC was also ordered to pay the costs of the application.

The order was granted this month after Bidvest approached the court following the party’s failure to defend the claim.

The judgment means the dispute is no longer simply a claim for an unpaid account. Unless the judgment debt is settled or successfully challenged, Bidvest can pursue enforcement mechanisms available to it to recover the money.

“Judgment by default is entered against the defendant for payment of the outstanding balance in the amount of R880,359.68, and interest on the aforesaid amount a tempora morae from date of demand being 12 February 2026 to date of final payment,” states the court judgment.

The judgment follows a claim arising from services provided to the ANC between May 2025 and January 2026.

Bidvest’s original summons claimed payment for deep cleaning, hygiene and pest-control services, as well as residual payments and lost stock supplied to the ANC at its request.

The company alleged that the ANC had failed or refused to settle the account, leaving the amount “due, owing and payable”.

The legal action was launched after the summons was served at Chief Albert Luthuli House in Johannesburg on April 16.

According to the sheriff’s return of service contained in Bidvest’s court papers, the summons was handed to Billy Malatji in the ANC’s legal department.

The sheriff recorded that the nature and urgency of the legal process had been explained before the documents were handed over.

Bidvest subsequently returned to court seeking default judgment.

In an affidavit supporting the application, Bidvest Steiner CFO Heather Strydom said she was authorised to depose to the papers and that the company’s claim was supported by the service agreement, statements and tax invoices attached to the summons.

She told the court that the agreement and invoices had been exchanged electronically and that Bidvest therefore did not have original hard copies.

Strydom asked the court to accept the electronic documents in support of Bidvest’s claim and grant judgment against the ANC.

The papers include copies of service agreements covering a range of services supplied at Luthuli House. These include sanitary bins, soap dispensers, air fresheners, paper towel dispensers, hygiene products and pest-control services. The agreements also provide for deep-cleaning work involving showers, toilets, urinals and hand basins.

The documents show that the relationship between the ANC and Bidvest involved recurring services rather than a one-off cleaning job.

The default judgment now places the ANC under a court-ordered obligation to settle the amount.

The order does not itself state that a writ of execution has already been issued or that any ANC asset has been attached. However, the judgment provides Bidvest with a basis to pursue enforcement if the debt remains unpaid.

The development comes as the ANC continues to face scrutiny over its finances and its ability to meet its obligations.

The Sunday Times has approached the ANC for comment on the judgment, including whether it intends applying to rescind or otherwise challenge the default judgment, whether the debt has been paid or whether any settlement agreement has been reached with Bidvest.