WINNER OF THE MONDI BUSINESS AWARD (HONESTLY!) R25 news you’re not supposed to know (including VAT) noseweeAUGUSTk2004 59 THE MAN LAWYERS FEAR AND LOATHE R400m FREE LUNCH IN THE FREE STATE ROOM WITH NO VIEW WHY WON’T SARS INVESTIGATE A MULTI-MILLION- RAND VAT SCAM? AUGUST2004 ISSUE59 T H E M A N L AW Y E R S LOATHE A N D FEAR Daniel Colin by illustration Cover PAGE Ask any lawyer or journalist about a man called Richard 8 Benson and you’ll be greeted with horror. But his tale is a compelling one – a story of injustice mounted upon injustice and of the fleecing of hundreds of thousands of common people with impunity 4 Letters Scorpions, fish and fatcats ■ Du Toit’s toyi toyi ■ A Nazi business ■ Right to research ■ Sentech sucks ■ Anti profanity ■ Limerick unfare 7 Dear reader Hands off my private papers 13 The syndicate Michael Addinall fingers the men who left him to rot in prison 16 Africa’s Grand Pricks How did the Free State government fall for a scheme to build a R400m Formula One racetrack in Welkom? 20 No room for a view The loud seaside home that’s causing a rumpus in quiet little Kenton-on-Sea 22 Notes & Updates Drug company boss gives WesBank victim shot in arm ■ Council hopes to befuddle with Huddle muddle ■ Groves not yet out of the woods 24 The Great Khaya Con-petition Who’s pulling your chain? 26 Left high and dry by the high and mighty Some history behind noseweek’s fishing exposés 28 Quack ducks What’s happened to the genius homeopath with the magic machine? 31 Don’t f*%k with Sentech Internet company sends its lawyers round 32 Laugh it off Mrs Mandela spiritualist ■ Just what the doctor ordered ■ Everybody’s going stark, raving Madiba 34 Last Word Harold Strachan talks hot dogs Letters Scorpions, fish and fatcats in the Durban Ushaka Secondly – and this is more he had changed his mind, and You are to be congratulated and Marine Development and the serious – you have used a lie in a would prosecute Du Toit after applauded for exposing Hassen unscrupulous exploitation of an Farmer’s Weekly editorial as the all. Later, he sent me a letter to Adams and his cronies for the already marginalised community basis for your criticisms. Nowhere inform me that Du Toit had paid frauds and fatcats that they are. there by so-called empowerment in my book did I say African an admission of guilt fine of R50! Few businessmen in the individuals/organisations. farmers are unable to farm. I only It is interesting to note that Western Cape have the ability to It has become clear that BEE referred to the farms that had Von Lieres took early retirement polarise and divide and to play deals enrich a small elite, generally been handed over, not to farming because he was “too ill” to fulfil politics like Adams does – to with strong ANC connections. in general. I even mentioned that his duties as attorney-general. his own financial advantage. Surely this cannot be what there are successful black farmers However, not long after he was Adams continually claims to be President Mbeki had in mind in South Africa who should be not “too ill” to cream off about a “champion of the poor” – he when he fought the last election emulated by those to whom farms R6 million of taxpayers’ money as is always citing the poor as the on a “contract with the poor”? have been given! And I referred defence council for Magnus Malan. basis and beneficiary of his plans Martin Birtwhistle to sustainable small-scale farming I have done some research on and schemes – yet you always Durban systems, which were available to the policeman who stonewalled find one of his many companies emerging farmers and which I me, as well as other persons or financial interests benefiting at Du Toit’s toyi toyi recommended the government use! who were involved in these the expense of the poor. You have been led by the nose The book was not racist at happenings. What I unearthed Mr Adams also has a unique by someone with a very suspect all (as if it’s anything new when simply reinforced my suspicion ability to play the race card – with agenda when writing about my government calls someone racist if that they formed a network of people descended from a group who had openly supported the Nazi-cause in South Africa during ‘Few businessmen in the Western Cape have the Second World War. Prof Johan F Prins the ability to polarise the way Adams does’ Northcliff Right to research In nose58 you inform readers such regularity that few would book, The Great South African they don’t like what you say!) that journalist Chris Louw “dug believe that anything is possible Land Scandal [nose58]. A whole chapter was devoted to up” the fact that I was one of were it not for the “empowerment My first complaint is that you the Dunn family of Natal, who as the researchers of Philip du model” that he expounds. suggest my book is being read only you know are the descendants of Toit’s book The Great South He’s the sort of “business” by the nation’s “white farming settler John Dunn and his Zulu African Land Scandal, and that person the Cape could well do community”. In fact the English wives. If anything, this family has I am the “wife of right-winger without. Perhaps the Scorpions edition sold more copies than suffered more than most. Clive Derby-Lewis, presently should take a closer look at this the Afrikaans edition – and the The book is the thing that serving a life sentence for ANC fatcat! majority of these sales were in the matters, not me, or my degree, or assassinating Chris Hani”. For Robert Daniels cities. It has been the fastest seller who my researchers are married the record, Clive Derby-Lewis Elsies River in years in one of the country’s to. The important question is: is did not assassinate anybody. top book chains. Ratepayers’ the book factual? So, has anybody He was nowhere near the scene ■ What you have revealed about associations throughout the found any lies or falsifications of the crime. [He helped plan the Hout Bay rip-offs can only be country have bought hundreds in the book? The answer is no – the assassination and provided described as shocking. Next to be of copies. We have even received hence the sales. If the powers that the assassin with the murder exposed should be the “fronting” orders from South Korea. be and their journalistic proxies weapon. – Ed.] don’t like the message, don’t I am a BA graduate in Gus shoot the messenger. Just try and Development Administration get the problem sorted out. – Rural Studies. I am qualified Philip du Toit to research in this field. This Pretoria was a professional assignment A Nazi business for which I was paid. Your article about the Du Toit Like the other researchers who is causing all the “Du I was given a sheaf of press Toit Toying” at Land Affairs is clippings about land handovers extremely relevant. I believe it and told to find out what had is the same Philip du Toit who, happened to these farms. I in 1985, tried to mislead me by asked the very first person that claiming he was an advocate. I met whether he knew of any I had his statement on tape, successes – I was prepared to and laid a charge at the Johan follow them up. He did not. Coetzee Police Station. There the I am shocked that a magazine police dragged their feet, claiming of your calibre would imply a that they had sent the tape to the person is somehow suspect in Bureau of Standards to have it his or her work because of the verified. Later I found out that person to whom she is married. they did no such thing. If the ANC or IFP or anyone for After pressure from me, I that matter asks me to research was informed that the (then) something in my field, I will be attorney-general – Baron Klaus happy to do so. Is it not my right, von Lieres und Wilkau – had like that of every other citizen, to “declined to prosecute”. But earn a living in South Africa? when I wrote to the baron, Gaye Derby-Lewis informing him that I intended Monument Park to proceed with a private Du Toit’s book – and your Waiter! Where’s the fly in my soup? prosecution, he informed me that research – undoubtedly have ‘Waiter! Where’s the fly in my soup?!’ 4 noseweek August 2004 Limerick competition noseweek, with Pen & Art, is giving merit, but because the book domain www.mywirelesssucks. regarding [Harold Strachan’s] Last away a Parker Sonnet fountain pen nowhere examines the problem co.za insisting that it be taken Word offering (nose58), which I worth R1,200 each month for the of failed farm handovers from down “by close of business” on find poor story-telling, sometimes best topical limerick submitted to a possible “Black” perspective it 24 June – which he unfortunately unintelligible! Oh, I hope I don’t the magazine. ends up having a white right-wing did. They appear to believe that sound pompous – I just wanted to Email your sanctimonious, slant. That prompts critics to take any critical mention of their let you know how I feel.