Feud with wrong bank lasts 15 years

Woman takes Absa to court over aunt’s estate

AWOMAN who has spent the last 15 years trying to wind up her aunt’s estate may have been going after the wrong bank.

Puleng Molefakgotla has approached the Bhisho High Court in her capacity as the executor of the late Bulane Motlamakang’s estate.

In court papers, Molefakgotla said she had been at loggerheads with Absa Bank since 2000 trying to get them to release Motlamakang’s bank statements, money and her estate so she could wind it up. However, she claimed she was not getting any joy because the bank was “refusing” to provide the necessary information.

Motlamakang died on June 5 2000, aged 73.

Absa Bank Limited, the master of the high court, Bacela Bukula and Associates, Stonga Zani and Mabatho Maqina have been cited as respondents in the matter.

“The purpose of the application is to seek an order [from] the court compelling [Absa] to furnish all the bank statements, monies to me...

“I submit that I have on several occasions tried to do my own investigation with Absa Bank about the estate late account, and they stated that they are unable to locate any information,” Molefakgotla told the court.

“I further submit that I am unjustly suffering prejudice by [Absa’s] conduct as it is difficult to finalise this estate without having such financial statement and access to the account,” she said.

Molefakgotla further advised the court that she has been trying to wind up the estate for 15 years and it was now taking its toll on her health.

But attached to the court file is a letter from Absa saying the bank knows nothing about the account.

“Kindly note that we are unable to locate any information pertaining to the above (request for information). Should you be in possession of any further information which could be of assistance to ourselves please forward it to us,” the letter reads.

It was yesterday brought it the court’s attention that the confirmation of banking was in fact from Standard Bank and not Absa Bank.

The account number, branch code as well as type of account is the same, except both banks are cited.

Judge Dawid van Zyl asked attorney Lunathi Makwebe to check what was going on.

“It appears that you may have the wrong bank,” Van Zyl said.

The matter was postponed to a later date. —