Johannesburg - The half-built Sandown mansion that belonged to former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema will, on November 28, go on auction for a second time to pay off his R16 million tax bill.
Businessman Norman Tloubatla was forced to cancel the bid after failing to fork out the R5.9 million he put up for bid in May.
In September, The Sunday Independent reported that Tloubatla was forced to forfeit the R1m deposit he had put down on the mansion and that the house would go on auction again.
South African Revenue Service (Sars) spokesman Adrian Lackay did not wish to comment yesterday, and neither Malema nor his lawyer Tumi Mokwena could be reached for comment.
When the bid fell through, curators Cloete Murray of Sechaba Trust and Aviwe Ndyamara from the Tshwane Trust Company, had the option of putting the house on sale as opposed to auctioning it off.
The curators could not be reached for comment this week.
The auction comes in the same month Malema will face charges of fraud, money laundering and racketeering in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court for his involvement in a R52m contract awarded by the Limpopo Department of Roads.
As part of the case, his cabbage farm in Limpopo was sold for R2.55m after it was seized by the Asset Forfeiture Unit.
Malema’s Sandown mansion could, however, be considered his most prized possession.
The incomplete mansion has plans for a cinema, a cigar lounge, wine cellar, coffee bar, showroom garage, spa bath, walk-in dresser and a strongroom – and a rooftop view of Sandton.
He purchased the house for R3.6m in 2009. But, according to Sars, the property was valued at R7.1m and R5.8m was paid to the building contractor in respect of the work done on the premises.
Sars used the details in its application to have him sequestrated in the Pretoria High Court earlier this year.
Malema has since also been placed under curatorship.
At the end of March, the curators of his estate brought an application to the Pretoria High Court that Malema was in contempt of court for not declaring all his assets.
The application came about after Malema’s household contents, which were auctioned in Polokwane, only amassed R54 000.
As part of their attempt to reduce his bill, Malema’s Limpopo home was sold on auction for R1.4m in July.
The Sunday Independent