Suspended fraud-accused lawyer Zuko Nonxuba obtained a R24m settlement for a child left severely disabled by state negligence five years ago – but insists his mother is not owed any of that money because the child died.

A News24 report says Nonxuba was responding to an urgent court action launched against him, his firm, and his wife by the mothers of 11 severely disabled children who he is accused of fleecing of a staggering R198m.

Despite their children being awarded multimillion-rand medical negligence settlements by the Eastern Cape Health Department, these mothers say they only received between R150 000 and R300 000 from Nonxuba.

With their children now living in ‘dire’ conditions, these women have asked the Eastern Cape High Court (East London) to provisionally sequestrate Nonxuba and his wife.

In response, Nonxuba told the High Court one of the children, on whose behalf he obtained the R24m settlement in 2018 but never paid, had died in June 2019. After providing the court with a copy of the boy's death certificate, he stated it was ‘surprising’ the boy's mother was one of the women who was attempting to sue him, ‘when she has no right or entitlement to any of the award’.

Nonxuba did not, however, explain what had happened to the R24m settlement that was granted to the child, following proceedings in the Eastern Cape High Court (Mthatha).

He also did not explain why he had seemingly failed to set up a trust to manage the money awarded to the little boy, as he was ordered to do by the High Court.

Attorney Armand du Plessis, who is representing the 11 mothers alongside Advocate Mohammed Desai on a pro bono basis, said he was haunted by the possibility this child's life could have been saved if his mother had been given access to the funds that were intended to ensure he was properly cared for.

News24 reports that he added: ‘I'm of the view that in the event that her trust had to be registered, and having been administered properly, that this life could've been saved. We are fighting hard to prevent this from happening to the other children.’

Full News24 report