Guards got summons - ANC
2010-01-31 23:32
Johannesburg - The African National Congress said it was not in court for a case over alleged election campaign debt because its security guards got the summons.
The Sunday Times reported that earlier this month advertising agency Ogilvy was granted a default judgment against the ANC of about R17.5m in the High Court in Johannesburg.
The amount was apparently for the balance of a R56m invoice for the party's media campaign for the 2009 national elections.
On Sunday, the party released a statement that said summons served to it in December 2009 by Ogilvy "did not reach the attention" of the ANC executive committee and officials.
"The ANC has learnt that these summons were left at the security personnel at our offices in Luthuli House," said ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu.
"...Because of the unprofessional manner in which these summons were delivered to us, it made it impossible for us to know about the court date, thereby our inability to defend ourselves."
Mthembu said an investigation was underway to find out whether legal procedures were followed in delivering the summons.
He said the party's lawyers were examining the judgment against the ANC.
"The ANC is currently paying Ogilvy for the services rendered to it during the 2009 election campaign," said Mthembu.
- SAPA