Client’s R1.6m award sliced in half as the rest goes to ‘charges and everything’

PHUMZILE Masekwane’s wife, Nozuko, is still mad at herself for allowing her husband to be dragged off for a one-on-one with Zuko Nonxuba.

The Masekwanes had gone to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, summoned by the attorney to collect their award of R1.6-million from the Road Accident Fund. Phumzile, 51, is permanently disabled on his right side following a head injury he sustained when his vehicle rolled between Mount Fletcher and their home town of Tsolo in the Transkei.

“On that day, we sat as per normal at the high court waiting for him to finish what he was doing inside. While we were waiting, he came and asked my husband to come quickly and I never thought this would be to sign for the money,” said Nozuko.

Phumzile added: “Inside the room he did not explain anything in detail, all he did was show me where to sign, and then he said the money would be in our account soon. He never said how much it was, and a few days later a deposit of R400 000 was made.

“After that another R400 000 deposit came and when my wife called and asked him whether this was it, he said he would explain everything. He showed us this thick document showing that we were awarded a total of R1.8-million [R1.6-million plus party and party bill of R235 098] and the rest had gone to charges and everything.”

The Masekwanes did not know that in the documents Nonxuba showed them was a court order stating that the RAF would pay the court costs. Nonxuba made them pay him for services he had already been paid for by the fund.

Nozuko was livid when she found out: “I knew there was something wrong with how this happened, but we did not know what had gone wrong. What raised my suspicion is that Zuko called my husband aside and when he came back he could not explain what he had signed. That bothered me, and now I know why.”

Nonxuba’s lawyer said his client acted in an ethical and professional manner, and fully accounted to Masekwane.

He did not explain anything in detail, all he did was show me where to sign