By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Sidumo Mdladla, a senior partner at SV Mdladla and Associates has confirmed that,the R9million for former Eswatini Meat Industries(EMI) employees has been paid by the ex-shareholders to the law-firm’s Trust Account but, the money cannot be released to the employees pending a review at the High Court.

This comes after the workers took the matter to court challenging former shareholders of eMbiveni after the Eswatini Meat Industries was purchased by Inyatsi Group, the shareholders had disappeared without paying the workers their terminal benefits.

But the workers through their lawyers from SV Mdladla and Associates subsequently won the matter at the Industrial Court, R9million was then paid to the law firm’s Trust Account pending a review at the High Court.

“The correct position is as follows, the Industrial Court ruled in favour of our clients, they noted an appeal which did not succeed. They have now applied to the High Court for a review of the Industrial Court of Appeal decision. They agreed to pay the money into our Trust Account however since the matter is pending before the High Court we cannot pay clients because should the review be granted it means they would have to pay the money back.The money remains in the Trust Account where it should be held until the matter is finalised”, said lawyer Sidumo Mdladla.

The lawyer responded to this Swaziland News on Sunday evening, after some former eMbiveni employees contacted this publication requesting to make a follow-up regarding the payment.

On another note, the lawfirm clarified that,the biggest win was to have the money deposited into the Trust Account,pending the review of the matter at the High Court.