Solidarity ready to act against Aurora bosses

In a last-ditch effort to get directors of embattled Aurora Empowerment Systems to testify before the Master of the High Court in Pretoria, trade union Solidarity may seek to file criminal charges against them.

Aurora's directors are President Jacob Zuma's nephew Khulubuse Zuma; former president Nelson Mandela's grandson Zondwa Mandela; Michael Hulley, who represented Zuma when he faced rape and corruption charges, and Thulani Ngubane.

The four are the subject of an insolvency inquiry in terms of the Companies Act. It concerns the disappearance of millions of rands generated through mining activity, the unauthorised selling of mining equipment, unlawful destruction of the mining assets and contravention of various laws and statutory regulations.

Since the directors were summonsed, they have snubbed the insolvency hearing by being absent, citing various excuses.

Zondwa Mandela who was due to testify this week, did not arrive in court, citing ill health. He refused assistance from the liquidators to arrange medical help for him. In September he insisted on getting a Zulu interpreter. Hulley testified on Wednesday, but the proceedings were in camera. The hearings have been postponed to December 9.

Solidarity deputy general secretary Gideon du Plessis said the directors' actions were "a sign of panic because the process has reached a stage where the four will be confronted with serious evidence and they have realised that they are now in a legal stranglehold.

''If they come with another excuse next week, we will definitely approach the magistrate's court where the rules are a lot stricter," he said.

This week Hulley was appointed as adviser to the president's office. Du Plessis has written to the president expressing "disappointment and dismay" in the light of Hulley's leadership of a company that has left 5300 Aurora workers without pay or benefits.

Du Plessis has previously requested Zuma to instruct state departments and agencies to intervene in the Aurora fiasco:

• The Department of Labour to investigate the non-payment of UIF contributions, as well as the late payment and non-payment of salaries;
• The Department of Mineral Resources to determine the ability of Aurora to manage a mining asset and obtain a mining licence;
• The Department of Water Affairs to investigate the pumping of untreated, acidic mine water into the Blesbokspruit;
• The Department of Social Development to investigate the state of the mine hostels concerned and arrange the distribution of food parcels to the employees;
• The National Prosecuting Authority to investigate the non-payment of pension fund contributions and contributions to the RMA;
• The Financial Services Board to investigate the non-payment of pension fund contributions and contributions to RMA workers' insurance;
• The Master of the High Court to analyse the performance and ability of the liquidators, and
• The SA Revenue Service to investigate the alleged non-payment of tax contributions.

Zuma's office has only acknowledged receipt of the letter.