A desperate Julius Malema has had to resort to begging the curator of his estate to stop his second last property – a cabbage farm outside Polokwane – from going under the hammer tomorrow.
Earlier this week, in an uncharacteristic move, the once proud and boastful ANC Youth League leader wrote to Richard Masoanganye, the curator of his R4 million Schuilkraal farm, pleading with him to postpone the auction of the farm.
But the last ditch attempt by the former politician fell on deaf ears.
Masoanganye rejected Malema’s pleas to stop the auction and said the sale of the 139 hectare farm would still continue at 10.30am tomorrow.
Masoanganye this week confirmed to The Sunday Independent that he had received a letter from Malema’s lawyers this week.
He would, however, not divulge the reason behind the request.
“I cannot speak on their behalf. Legally it would not be a good thing to do,” said Masoanganye, adding: “I said to them I can’t postpone the auction. The preservation order made it clear that anyone who has an interest in the farm should approach the courts within a specific timeframe.”
Neither Malema nor his lawyer Tumi Mokwena responded to calls and SMSes.
The farm was attached in March by the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit in connection with the criminal case Malema faces in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court.
Malema and his business associate Lesiba Gwangwa – who jointly own the farm – were arrested in September in connection with several multimillion-rand Limpopo state contracts which were allegedly fraudulently awarded to On Point Engineering.
Gwangwa is the sole director of the company.
Malema is currently facing charges of racketeering and money laundering in connection with the case. In two weeks’ time he will make his next appearance in court.
The farm had initially been placed under a preservation order by the Pretoria High Court in December.
Masoanganye was appointed curator and given control of the property.
Masoanganye was authorised to “take care of the property, administer the property and do anything necessary to preserve the property while the order is in force”, said the preservation order.
The farm has one completed four-bedroom house.
Proceeds of the auction will be deposited into the Criminal Assets Recovery Account.
Although the auction has no links to Malema’s R16m tax bill, the sale of the farm – and the denial of his request to postpone the auction – is the latest of a series of devastating blows that the fired youth league leader has suffered.
In recent months, Malema has been placed under both sequestration and curatorship to uncover any assets that he could be hiding and prevent him from managing his own affairs.
Last month, as the revenue service attempted to service his tax bill, his half-completed Sandown mansion was sold for R5.9m.
It followed the sale of all his personal possessions and his Mercedes Vito, which had been stored at another Sandown house, which he has been renting.
The personal possessions attached from his house in Polokwane were also auctioned off in February this year.
Sars spokesman Adrian Lackay said: “Sars would elect not to make public comments on the matter at this stage as legal proceedings to recover outstanding taxes have not been concluded.” - The Sunday Independent