X Detectives Are Always on the Case

• EFF has sent falsified documents to other organisations
• Just who paid the EFF’s debt to Afriforum?
• Why would the EFF ‘hide’ a source of funds?

After a recent posting by Afriforum of proof of payment by the EFF to Afriforum for legal costs owed by the EFF to Afriforum the Twitter Sleuths were out in full force, pointing out that the footer of the ‘Proof of Payment’ from Standard Bank reflected outdated director information with the insinuation that Afriforum was senationalising and/or had falsified the PoP.

Afriforum countered by posting a screenshot of the payment into their bank account.

And now Afriforum have released an official statement saying:

Earlier this week, AfriForum received an electronic proof of payment to the value of R316 000 from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which they had to cough up for legal costs owed to AfriForum. This payment stems from a cost order imposed on the EFF in September this year after the protracted land invasion case in which AfriForum was victorious. In the meantime, it has come to light that the proof of payment document, which the EFF’s lawyers, Ian Levitt Attorneys, sent to AfriForum on 6 November 2023, contains many dubious details and therefore appears to be a falsified document. The funds mentioned above do reflect in AfriForum’s bank account although Standard Bank has confirmed that the proof of payment concerned has indeed been doctored.

The proof of payment, now confirmed as falsified, indicates tampering in a dishonest manner to falsely create the impression that the payment was made from an EFF account, when in fact it was made by an unknown financier. Upon further investigation, AfriForum’s legal team also discovered that the EFF has also sent falsified proof of payments to other organisations. This revelation has been confirmed to AfriForum by Standard Bank today. It is common knowledge that Julius Malema, the EFF leader, has relations with questionable characters, which raises the question whether these funds originate from criminal activities.

Ernst van Zyl, AfriForum’s Head of Public Relations, asks: “Why did the EFF resort to tampering with a proof of payment and who is really responsible for paying the party’s debt? What is the EFF hiding and who is it trying to protect? If the EFF goes to such lengths to cover their tracks, it raises the question of what other secret activities the party is involved in. Ultimately, for the time being, we can only wonder who the secret funder behind their payments is, and why its so important that his identity be hidden at all costs,” says Van Zyl.

AfriForum’s private prosecution unit has been instructed to investigate possible criminal offences, such as forgery and uttering, as well as fraud. Adv. Gerrie Nel and his team will launch a full-scale in-depth investigation to trace the trail of this falsified proof of payment, the purpose of which appears to be an attempt to veil the identity of an EFF benefactor. With the help of its private prosecution unit, AfriForum will expose what the EFF is so desperate to hide.

“This major, suspicious development in the ongoing story of the EFF’s legal debts to AfriForum has wide-ranging implications. Has this anonymous financier been declared to the Independent Electoral Commission? And is this an ongoing modus operandi employed by the EFF? The multiple other proof of payments to other organisations that have now been confirmed to be falsified as well, indicates this to be the case. AfriForum will keep its members and the public up to date,” concluded Van Zyl.

UPDATE – Standard Bank Now Say:

Standard Bank is aware of media reports referencing various disputed proofs of payment relating to the EFF.

Standard Bank confirms that the documentation circulating in the media, whilst on an outdated template, reflects genuine transactions which are not fraudulent. Standard Bank denies having confirmed that any proofs of payment in relation to transactions were doctored.

The matter relates to an erroneous response by Standard Bank to a query from AfriForum. We are investigating the inaccurate communication and will be engaging AfriForum to gain clarity on the circumstances that led to the error.

We take this matter very seriously and apologise to the EFF.

Save for confirming that all the transactions queried by AfriForum with Standard Bank are genuine, Standard Bank is not in a position to comment any further due to client confidentiality.