R4650 NEWS YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW (inc VAT)

noseweek219 JANUARY JANUARY 2018

Russian madness + KZN mayhem

IQBAL’S UNICORN n MICHIEL HEYNS ON BOOKS n KNYSNA FIRE BLOWBACK

Your favourite magazine is now ISSUE 219 • JANUARY 2018 available on your iPad and PC Have unicorn, will ride

R45) Page 10 (inc VAT

NEWS YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW

k218 ee DECEMBER ewThe spy at nos Nkosazana’s side Paedophile thief mining the 2017 Waterberg

FEATURES

7 The Russian ConnectionMakhosi Khoza sinks 4 Letters Madcap scheme to build R300bn ‘aerotropolis’her claws into Zuma’s ANCin Martizburg came crashing down one drunken night 6 Editorial 12 Knysna fire: secret CSIR report bombshell 31 Smalls Investigation could open floodgates for negligence lawsuits amounting to billions against council AVAILABLE ON YOUR 16 Hell hath no fury like a sequestrated wife Divorce leaves ex-wife almost destitute as lawyers TABLET and liquidators pig it – but she holds a trump card

20 Nowhere to go but up Afrikaner meisie finds a home and a calling in the IFP. Meet Liezl van der Merwe Download your digital edition today 24 Tshwane property valuations Preparing for battle as Rob McLaren rides into town both single issues and subscriptions available COLUMNS

25 Books PLUS never miss a copy – Restrained depiction, unrestrained activities with back issues available to 26 Letter from Umjindi download and store Zimbababwe: Nothing like a good coup DOWNLOAD YOUR DIGITAL 28 Not rocket science EDITION AT Aids hocus pocus: Have we learned nothing? www.noseweek.co.za 29 Down and Out or % 021 686 0570 A real Burke: Lewd man, genial mask

29 Last Word Thukela: A miss is as good as a mile

NOSEWEEK January 2018 3 Letters

Zuma: the tipping point South Africa is fast developing the top residential sale price in YOUR EDITORIAL COMMENTS ON THE into a gangster state. The barriers South Africa, eclipsing the high-end Jacques Pauw book: I was wondering between upright, patriot citizens and Cape Atlantic Seaboard properties when you were finally going to take powerful forces of political criminality by many millions, although in terms some glory, and say “we told you so!”. become weaker by the month. of location, location, location, the So many of the shocking news head- Like Brexit Britons, South Africans Palazzo Steyn is bang next door to lines today relate to stories that we, are sleepwalking towards political the Diepsloot Township. as loyal readers, knew about years and economic meltdown. Rob McLaren ago. Christopher Merrett Howick Pietermaritzburg Jennifer Spencer Now see page 24. – Ed. Dunvegan, Gauteng Facebook de-faces Noseweek n THE ONGOING THEFT OF MILLIONS A RATHER DEFENSIVE MOVE ON THE PART from SASSA pensioners by Douw n YOUR ACCURATE AND COURAGEOUS of fb, banning the use of a portrait Steyn Enterprises, is surely up there reporting of the Hawks’ disbandment of their boss Mark Zuckerberg in an in the First League of “Captured in KwaZulu-Natal [starting with ad promoting your November issue Accounts” deserving urgent action nose149 in March 2012!] came to (“Facebook de-faces nose218”). by the Hawks rather than the Black mind when I watched Jacques Pauw When will they learn that this is Sash. (Bless them for their efforts to and Major General Johan Booysen the perfect way to draw extra atten- date!) (now retired) being interviewed tion to the extraordinary wealth and If the Hawks are short of man- recently live on television. power of Mr Zuckerberg? Well done power I am sure I could muster an What a loss to crime prevention on being noticed internationally, intelligent task force. The money in our country to see such a dedicated Mr Nose. This particular Noseweek must be recovered and returned to and honourable career policeman story (how the world’s ultra-rich see aggrieved parties! reduced to being repeatedly the growing number of poor as just Douw-ry-wie suspended on trumped up charges another profit opportunity) needs a Bloemfontein eventually leading to his early retire- wide audience. ment. Noeleen Palmer. Paedo thief mining Waterberg At the time of the disgusting so- Cape Town SHOWS YOU THAT DESPITE KING 1 TO 4 AND called “exposé” in the Sunday Times all other so-called ethics policies coming I immediately cancelled my then For those who still have not read the from listed companies, they don’t give subscription of that discredited rag. extract from Jacques Peretti’s book, a shit about the environment and the One magazine that I will never be Done, in nose217, should do so right people they hire. How did Mercantile without is Noseweek. away – or buy the book! – Ed. Bank hire this guy with what must The fearless courage that you have been a CV full of unexplained and your journo sources display is Stain city – ain’t it a pity periods of unemployment? (“How Lowe legendary – more power in 2018 to YOUR REPORT ON DOUW STEYN’S LATEST can you go?” – nose217.) your pens! extravaganza, Steyn City, “Robbing Vic Heather the poor to make the rich richer” Muizenberg Cape Town (nose218), sent me to my records: The City of Johannesburg Municipal n Why is this piece of s**t allowed n THE SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED IN Valuation for Steyn City Office Park to remain in South Africa?! nose218’s editorial are spot-on. (Riverglen erf 4, portion 120) at 1 Mike & Val Turner Several recent books on the national Tele Sure Lane, is an absurdly low Randburg condition, including Jacques Pauw’s, R24.6 million which delivers peanuts contain much information already in rates. A simple site inspection with n I FIND IT UNBELIEVABLE THAT in the public domain. But they join an ex-St Stithians College cricket Mercantile Bank and other banks the dots and paint a big picture that pal, together with a title deed search, and insurance agencies in South allows a broader and overall under- revealed that it had been purchased Africa can be so despicable that they standing of the current nature of the in 2015 for R480 million. would go to the lengths of drawing South African state. Jack Lundin’s comment regarding out court cases, specifically where The situation is bleak indeed. The the sumptuous Palazzo Steyn they and their staff have blatantly only two institutions wholeheartedly mansion (Dainfern Ext 34, Erf 2274) stolen monies, in order to bankrupt holding the line against collapse are being worth R250m is slightly closer their accusers and make the cases the judiciary and (parts of) the media. to the mark: it was sold to one of disappear. Civil society can put marchers on the Steyn’s fellow directors in 2015 for Is there no way these atrocious acts street, but it has no overall unity of R285m. can be stopped? purpose. This overstated figure has become Of course I have no doubt that

4 the attorneys acting on their behalf answers from them when they cated. We publish a short extract from continually ask them to please settle enabled a gaming thief to deduct his letter hereto acknowledge receipt the court case so that they can stop money from my account every day for of his complaint and alert interested earning the obscene amounts of a year. They billed it as “data” so it readers to it. The full text can be money they do. remained undetected for 15 months – found on Noseweek’s website. – Ed. Shame on our despicable banking my fault, of course. But was I happy and legal systems! when my contract ended! I ALTHOUGH I WAS ACCUSED OF WRONG- Clive Varejes am now delighted with my new doing in the [nose204] article, I was Gallo Manor phone and fantastic contract with never asked for my comment. Telkom. I left Standard Bank in July 2006… Vodacom deserves to be sued I’ve advised several friends and [To explain why he had not ON BIDVEST EXEC SUING VODACOM FOR family members to try Telkom and responded to the Noseweek story deducting unauthorised payments to they are also pleased. (Telkom should sooner:] ADS has embarked on a new “content providers” (nose217): Good! reward me for free advertising!) Try lawsuit claiming that the original I’ve been trying for two months them! trial prejudiced their case and now to get refunded the thousands Jennifer Ann Christie naming me as a respondent. that I’ve been charged on my bill. It Johannesburg The author of the nose204 article finally stopped, but Vodacom refuses did not check for inconsistencies and to refund me, claiming they are “just Sticky fingers ’were not mine’ contradictions in his story. the billing agent”. The dealer is as IN NOSE204, UNDER THE HEADLINE It is also claimed there were no good as the stealer in my eyes. “Bank gets its sticky fingers on inves- fewer than 15 people at the meeting. Hanro Manefeldt tor’s keyboard programme” it was I was there. There were only three Port Elizabeth reported that a company called ADS people from Standard Bank… had sued Standard Bank for alleg- Standard Bank’s pinpad develop- They are the ones who paid out your edly misappropriating some of it’s ment was started on 23 July and money without your consent. Sue the proprietary computer programming. went into production on 25 July bastards! – Ed. More than a year later Corneil du 2003. The meeting with ADS was on Plessis, one of the bank employees 18 August 2003. n ADD MTN TO THE LIST! YEARS WERE named in the story, has written to Corneil du Plessis lost from my life, trying to get complain that he was falsely impli- Johannesburg Stent

NOSEWEEK January 2018 5 C

Editor Editorial Martin Welz [email protected] Assistant Editor Jonathan Erasmus Special Correspondent Jack Lundin Drought: learning from Designer Tony Pinchuck Sub-editor others’ mistakes Fiona Harrison Contributors Sibusiso Biyela, Michiel Heyns, Sue Segar, Anne Susskind, Harold Strachan HEN CAPE TOWN MAYOR PATRICIA can also be riots,” De Lille said. Cartoonists de Lille addressed the Cape The mayor sounded the warning that “the Stacey Stent, Dr Jack Town Press Club recently she days of abundance are over”. But she was Accounts gave her audience a little insight confident, that, through the city’s “working Nicci van Doesburgh into what the dreaded Day Zero around the clock”, Day Zero could be avoided. [email protected] wouldW be like if or when the Mother City’s During question time, a journalist who had Subscriptions water supplies run out. quickly done a few sums, asked a perturbing Maud August The population of Cape Town – the coun- question: “We are a city of approaching four [email protected] try’s second-largest city and Africa’s most million people, and will be serviced by 200 Advertising popular tourist destination – has grown water points. That’s 20,000 people a day (at 021 686 0570 rapidly over the past two decades and is each water point). Surely that means that [email protected] now more than 3.75 million people. riots are likely. Is it not possible to get more But infrastructure for the provision of water points?”

All material in this issue is copyright, and belongs water has not expanded. Making matters In reality, fewer than half that number to Chaucer Publications (Pty) Ltd, unless otherwise worse, this is the second year in a row of are adults capable of queueing and carrying indicated. No part of the material may be quoted, the Western Cape’s most severe drought in away the required weight of water for a photocopied, reproduced or be stored by any recent history – confirming all the predic- family, but the problem remains. electronic system without prior written permission. Disclaimer: While every reasonable effort is taken to tions of imminent climate change. De Lille’s response: “But that will be 24 ensure the accuracy and soundness of the contents of De Lille told a riveted assembly of mainly hours a day, seven days a week. “The water this publication, neither the authors nor the publisher middle-class Capetonians that it had been points that we have selected – and we are will bear any responsibility for the consequences of anticipated that Day Zero would be May still mapping them across the city – must any actions based on information contained. Printed and Published by Chaucer Publications (Pty) Ltd. 20 – but now it will probably arrive a week be close to a water connection site that can sooner because a day of rain the previous take (the traffic),”she said. “We are still week had joyful Capetonians splurging on looking at spreading them out.” deep baths and long showers. One woman put up her hand and stated, “What you did last week was that you agitatedly: “I live in Newlands… not far moved Day Zero to May 13th, one week from Spring Street, where more and more earlier,” she admonished. people have been fetching water from the Turning to what will actually happen on spring. The road is fully blocked every day. Day Zero, she said: “That will be when our Nobody can get in. Now and then the police dam levels reach 13.5%. On that day… we come and try to help people get in and out will turn off the taps and we will have 200 of the road. People double-park, builders are SUBSCRIPTION RATES water sites around the City of Cape Town, coming with buckets. Print where each person must go and collect “Have you made allowances for parking water and you will get 25 litres per person for all the cars that will be driving to these SA only R410 per day. water points? (Try carrying a 25-litre Neighbouring states (airmail) R600 “That amount of water is what the World container of water!)” Europe, Americas and Australasia R740 Health Organisation has prescribed as the To which De Lille replied that she has Internet edition her eyes on sports grounds and other big 1 year R298 minimum. The points will be open 24 hours, seven days a week and we will ensure essen- communal sites. But, how will the city Combined tial services like clinics have water.” manage those crowds if Day Zero does come Print+Internet (SA only) R510 However, taps will not be turned off in upon us? To subscribe the city’s 230 informal settlements which And what about next year, and the years By phone (021) 686 0570 account for about 3-4% of water usage. after that? And the gardens? The factories? Online (pay by credit card): These areas will have reduced water Farming areas around the city? www.noseweek.co.za pressure but there will still be water in the Drought could have as devastating an Email [email protected] taps. effect on Cape Town as hurricane floods “The risk of turning off taps completely in have had on Houston and New Orleans. (Note: cheques no longer accepted) densified areas is that it can cause a health They, too, ignored all the warnings. risk or can lead to a disease outbreak. There The Editor Further information Call (021) 686 0570; fax 021 686 0573 or email [email protected] The Russian Connection

President Jacob Zuma meets (from left) KZN businessman and local fxer Nhlanhla Gcwabaza, Russian businessman Alexander Tokmurzin, Czech funder Stanislava Rousova, Russian rocket designer Oleg Vasiliev, German consultant Michael Will and South African consultant Mathanda Mathenjwa Vladimir Putin’s crowd conjured up a plan to build a R300bn ‘aerotropolis’ in Maritzburg. There was cash to be harvested and Jacob Zuma was on board, but the madcap extravaganza came crashing down one drunken night. Jonathan Erasmus reports

UST FIVE DAYS AFTER PRESIDENT to be briefed about the fund’s grand tion highway to move VIP, business, Jacob Zuma signed a memoran- plan to build a massive US$21-billion securities, precious metals and gold”. dum of understanding with Pres- (approximately R300bn at the time) The airport was to have a 4km ident VlaEimir Putin over “aerotropolis” outside Pietermaritz- runway, long enough to land interna- Russia’s intended “cooperation” burg, KZN’s modest capital city. tional passenger aircraft. inJ South Africa’s planned R1-trillion The proposed project – which Just two days after meeting Zuma at nuclear-build programme, a motley clearly had no commercial prospects Dube House a South African company bunch of Eastern European investors –was nicknamed “Project Jacob”; the called Avrora SA (Pty) Ltd was regis- arrived in Durban for a meeting with Russian partners had suggested that, tered to act as a so-called SPV (special Zuma. when completed, it would be called purpose vehicle) to drive the project. The delegation was led by a little- the JG Zuma Aviation Centre. It was Avrora is a name that has special signif- known Czech non-profit organisa- to include an aviation factory, building icance in Russian history: it was the tion called the Open Doors of Europe Russian planes known as A-7s and name of the Bolshevik-commandeered Fund, headed by its president, a Mrs A-19s; an aerodrome complex; an battle cruiser docked in St Petersburg Stanislava Rousova. The main purpose aviation services complex; a univer- which, on 25 October 1917, fired the of the fund is purportedly to channel sity-style campus; a town; a 500MW shots that marked the beginning of the buckets of Russian money for special coal-powered power plant; a railroad; October Revolution and Soviet com- international projects. factories; quarries; and an inland coal munism. On 14 July 2015 Zuma received terminal. Design drawings, annotated in the group at John Dube House, the It was also expected to have a “special Russian, were commissioned from KwaZulu-Natal presidential home, customs zone” to provide a safe “avia- Dublin-based South African architect

NOSEWEEK January 2018 7 Igmar Ferreira. Confidential docu- cultural relations between the Czech firm’s task was to pull everything ments including costings and progress Republic, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, together and “make the deal happen”. reports were circulated. Meetings were China, as well as other democratic The South African partners were scheduled and held with South African countries” (including, apparently, hustlers and government insiders. financiers, dealmakers, lawyers and South Africa). One was colourful Eastern Cape bureaucrats. The funding, backed by Rousova was also a director of the businessman Dr Austin Bene who, Russian businesses and lenders, was South African special purpose vehicle according to the Zimbabwean govern- said to be ready and the Russians were for the aerotropolis project, Avrora SA. ment mouthpiece The Herald, was at keen to start building. The Russian company expected to one stage “wanted by Interpol” because Much of what Noseweek knows about build the aeroplanes and do every- of his involvement in a doctors’ union these events is derived from a series of thing else aeronautical was Moscow- that Mugabe did not approve of. Bene leaked documents, several interviews based FPK Ekotransenergomash-ATA studied medicine in Russia, is fluent in and a search of publicly available (Etem-Ata) – loosely translated as The the language and has maintained close documents in Russia and the Czech Eco Transport Machine Financial and ties with that country. He became the Republic. Industrial Company. It appears to have CEO of Avrora SA. The airport never happened, for links to the Russian government’s mili- The other local director of Avrora many reasons: there was infighting tary complex. SA was KZN businessman Nhlanhla between the South African partners While the plane body was to be Gcwabaza, who represented the BEE and between the Russian and Czech assembled in South Africa, the avionics partner called MCG Investments partners, culminating in the cancella- were to be built in St Petersburg and (Pty) Ltd. (Also on the MCG board at tion of a key meeting at the Riverside the engines, in Voronezh. Both cities the time was Siyabonga Mchunu who Hotel, Durban – largely because are home to military manufacturing Noseweek was told is “not a direct rela- everyone got too drunk the night before. plants that specialise in these fields. tion” of former KZN ANC leader Senzo But possibly the biggest reason was Despite its long and imposing name Mchunu.) that then-Finance Minister Nhlanhla and suggested top-level military-indus- Avrora SA’s registered address is Nene bravely refused to sign any guar- trial connections, Etem-Ata’s registered a house in a township just outside antees or sureties for the project. address is a flat on Kakhovka Street in Pietermaritzburg. (When Nene was sacked as Finance Moscow. It was created specifically for Bene also enlisted the help of another Minister in December 2015, The EFF the proposed South African project. consultant, Mathanda Mathenjwa, said he’d been fired because he refused It has three directors: Alexander representing Afrisat Investments, a to take “illegal instructions” made by Tokmurzin, Ivanovich Mikulin and Mauritian-based consultancy located Zuma and his friends in both business Oleg Vasiliev. there for tax purposes, while all the and state-owned enterprises.) Noseweek could not identify the first members work and live in South Africa. Even Edward Zuma, son of the two names, however Vasiliev is an engi- So why did it all fall apart? president, was contacted to intervene neering hero from the Soviet-era. He “Eventually greed got in the way,” said and help escalate approval for the was involved in the development of the a government insider. project, but failed to sway Nene. This first Buran, the then-USSR’s version of According to a document headed was despite the project’s having been the Nasa space shuttle. He also devel- “Executive Status Summary Report endorsed by both presidents Putin and oped an intercontinental rocket for the and Key Relationships” circulated by Zuma, according to various sources and Soviet state. Avrora SA in February 2016, “Project documents seen by Noseweek. According to Russia’s register of Jacob” was to have been funded by Odef The ostensible “funders”, the Open companies, Etem-Ata’s main business to the tune of US$21,372,000,000 ($21,3 Doors of Europe Fund (Odef) was was “scientific research and develop- billion) on a 10-year term, at “1-2% established in 2008 and by 2010 had ment in the field of natural and tech- per annum”. The interest would have become involved in only a few small nical sciences”, while its secondary been approximately US$2,364,000,000 projects – inter alia, according to its economic activities include the “manu- ($2,3bn). records – providing “humanitarian facture of air and spacecraft”, mining, The deal finally fell apart at about aid: medical and rehabilitation aids” to fishing and growing of “fruit and nut the time of the change of premier- South Africa. trees”. Noseweek was informed that in ship in KZN – after Senzo Mchunu Only in 2014 did the fund become order to work in the aviation industry was replaced as provincial ANC chair- seriously active, when it began sourcing the company would have to have the person by incumbent Sihle Zikalala in business funding from Russia. Its backing of the Russian state. November 2015. Arguments arose – by apparent lack of activity is mirrored by Vasiliev and Tokmurzin were also most accounts, between all the part- the notable absence of annual reports board members of Avrora SA, the ners in Avrora. A key element of the filed with the Czech authorities. A South African special purpose company deal was that Odef wanted a guaran- Czech source told Noseweek the country established for the project. teed return on their investment under- is extremely bureaucratic and requires The Odef had also enlisted the written by the state. This was clearly filings for all non-profits annually. services of Global Union Consulting, a not going to materialise. In its only available annual report – firm based in Bad Homburg, Germany. An intriguing feature of this extraor- for 2014/15 – it is stated that “the fund Its representative on Avrora SA’s board dinary development plan is that no-one is interested in developing trade and was Michael Will. The consultancy is sure who initiated it – or at any rate

8 no one is telling. One character simply red tape, so having a partner with the got any real support. points a finger at another. However right access to meet the right people “We needed guarantees. It appeared there is evidence that it was either the made MCG a good choice.” as if the locals thought we would just South African or the KZN provincial He said another reason for the stalling hand them the money. Austin [Bene] government who brought the investors was because there were middlemen came up with the airport idea. He said into the country. asking for “donations”. “This eventu- he could help and organise but he spoke Just weeks before meeting Zuma, ally was one of the reasons our rela- too much and the project failed. People on 24 June 2015, a memorandum of tionship broke down with MCG. Odef get side-tracked with projects like this understanding was signed between and the Russians were adamant they where so much money is involved. He the South African and Russian govern- wanted everything to be above board also brought in another investment ments, Etem-Ata, the KZN govern- but we had the impression we had to partner, Afrisat. There were too many ment and Odef. pay for access,” said Bene. He main- people involved. “The guys were brought to South tained that presidents Zuma and Putin “There was no government influ- Africa and they wanted us to be a part and the Russian Government played ence, otherwise the project would have of the deal,” said Gcwabaza. no role – but then refused to answer happened,” said Will. “Mr Bene came with the Russians any further questions, saying he was Global Union Consulting’s owner to KZN. He knew me from before. bound by confidentiality agreements. Mario Grothe, who spoke for Odef, told We were the BEE partner and were The Russians however confirmed Noseweek “Russia was ready, the money required to sort out local licences and that the project was driven by the two was ready, the local guys weren’t”; land purchases. The Russians were governments. Asked why it had failed, the local partners were “fighting over the funders and brought the technical Etem-Ata replied: “!"#$%$&'#( ownership”. support. Our task was to present to the "$)*&+#(, %,( #-.#/ #+ ,(&'0( “We spoke with various people in relative provincial government struc- «1("23», #( 3 0 4(.$&+#35 6+#'23” government and eventually we, as tures. It had the blessing of the presi- which loosely translates into: “We Germans, and Odef said ‘let’s stop’. dent’s office.” initially stated that we need not only There was no clear partner in the deal He listed several reasons for the ‘brains’, but also money unfortunately” in SA that we could trust. We also had deal’s falling apart. “One was because – in reference to Avrora SA’s failure to a different view to Etem-Ata’s on the we needed more information. At that obtain guarantees from the National project. There is no time for playing. stage much of it was a gentleman’s Treasury. “It was clear the government did not agreement. The Odef was going to Michael Will from Global Union, have the power to get the project. We finance the project. We stopped on our who was a technical consultant, said know the president was involved. We side as we needed boxes to be ticked that Zuma told them he supported had evidence. We met his son Edward. and they weren’t. I don’t think the the project but in reality they never He was also involved,” said Grothe. money was dirty but no assurances Grothe said MCG Investments was had been provided of its source.” sold to them as a company that “repre- Gcwabaza said there was also a sents the KZN government” and would fallout between the Open Door fund The deal finally fell be the [national] government’s vehicle people and Etem-Ata, starting when to “handle the guarantees”. Odef wanted complete control of the “We don’t give money to someone project, from making appointments to apart at about the else in other countries. We manage the handling the cash. Bene, he said, also projects. The main contractor would tried to push MCG Investments out. have been Sineko International. When “The project fell apart when Bene time of the change we use a local contractor the money tried to go it alone and edge us out. disappears,” said Grothe who denied Etem-Ata pulled out when I told them any knowledge that Sineko and Odef Bene can’t be CEO of Avrora because of premiership in were in fact one and the same. he was wanted by Interpol.” Sineko International is based in Gcwabaza claimed that the shake- KZN in November Brno, Czech Republic. It, like Odef, up in KZN politics which saw then- was run by Rousova, her husband and premier Mchunu replaced as leader of their daughter. When Odef holds an the ANC in the province and his subse- 2015. Arguments AGM, the minutes reflect the attend- quent sacking played a negligible role ance of her husband and daughter. as the project had been stalling long Sineko International is also a member before the change of leadership. He arose, by most of Odef’s board. insisted there was no political involve- And that is not all. Noseweek is in ment in the project. possession of documents that reveal Bene had a different story to tell: “We accounts, between that this grand airport strategy was got the impression we had to use MCG closely linked to the Russian-South Investments as a BEE partner because African nuclear deal. But you’ll need to that was what the KZN provincial all the partners see next month’s Noseweek to find out government required. Our worry was more about that. n

NOSEWEEK January 2018 9 Dr Iqbal Survé and unicorn (which despite its extensive medical qualifcations doesn’t insist on being Survé rides addressed as ‘Doctor’) his unicorn up the newsroom Everest

USINESS REPORT, ONCE KNOWN FOR By Mitzi Kaplansky Influential global leaders on board” its stellar financial and busi- (IAB stands for International Advisory ness reporting, and to be found Board). Besides being devoid of any in almost all of Independent The fluff front-pager, which appeared news-value to warrant a front-page Media’s titles, has become a fa- on 23 October 2017, was on the story, it sported a large picture of Bvoured platform for press baron Iqbal appointment of “investor guru Paul Lamontagne shaking hands with Survé to promote his business cronies Lamontagne”, once head of Enablis none other than Doley Jnr who had and disparage his competitors. Entrepreneurial Network, South Africa been appointed to the board. The The writer doing the dirty work is (noses82&83), as CEO of Sagarmatha article said the board appointments none other than the Business Report Technologies. had “impressed global markets”. Turn executive editor Adri Senekal de Wet. It went on to call him a “visionary to Page 3, and there was the first of These stories also have one significant leader”. The company was described at least three full-page adverts by similarity – at no point do any of them as “an integrated multinational tech- Sagarmatha announcing the board disclose Survé’s interest in any of the nology platform group” that was appointments. (The last appeared on businesses it unashamedly punts. driving the “Silicon Africa” vision. 28 November 2017) Survé, while professing he doesn’t Four days later Business Report ran On 8 November, Business Report ran interfere with editorial direction, another front pager titled “Business another front-page story headlined clearly does. Or, at the very least, is consortium to invest $1bn in Africa”. “Sagarmatha Technologies to invest happy for Senekal de Wet to do so on It reported how US investment banker R1bn in ANA”. African News Agency his behalf. Harold Doley Jnr, representing a From October to November 2017 “consortium of international investors”, Business Report ran at least five front had made an “unexpected announce- Survé, while professing page stories promoting an otherwise ment” at the “Business Report Ignite little-known technology business breakfast” in Cape Town, stating that called Sagarmatha Technologies – in his consortium would be investing he doesn’t interfere with which Survé has a keen interest. Survé US$1bn in technology businesses in joined the company soon after it was South Africa and other large African editorial direction, clearly established in 2014, and resigned as a markets. Finance Minister Malusi director on 9 October 2017, just 15 days Gigaba was present for the occasion. does. Or, at least, is happy for before Sagarmatha – which is Nepalese There was, however, nothing unex- for Mount Everest – was celebrated pected about it: days later, Business others to do so on his behalf in a front page Business Report story Report led with a story headlined labelled “Exclusive”. “Sagarmatha Technologies IAB:

10 (the old Sapa, SA Press Association’s replacement) is controlled by Survé. This was not stated. Pedigree of ‘infuential’ board Sagarmatha’s registered address on the 10th floor, Convention Tower, THER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF and a former CEO of Siemens Africa Foreshore, Heerengracht Street, Cape Sagarmatha include Dutch at a time when, in 2002, Siemens was Town – is shared by several of Survé’s billionaire Marcel Boekhoorn successfully charged with habitual businesses. – who was once conned out of bribery by German and US authori- Senekal de Wet, the author of these a £1 million by a down-and- ties (noses120&121). articles, claimed in a 27 November outO Yorkshire salesman who claimed Dr Makaziwe Mandela, Nelson editorial that Business Report had he was selling London’s Ritz Hotel – Mandela’s eldest daughter, has also “tracked the rise of Sagarmatha and Chinese businessman Dr Chung been elected to the board. Technologies” and that it was “the next Hon Dak who, besides being a guest Meanwhile the listed directors emerging market technology platform of honour of President Jacob Zuma of the company are almost all old growth and success story”. The conflict in August 2015 when he donated Survé acolytes, including Alan Neil of interest is not stated. R39.6 million to build an Eastern who was a business partner of Survé Then on 29 November Business Cape school – has been buying dis- in the disastrous LeisureNet fiasco Report ran yet another front-page piece tressed South African mining assets. (noses59&98) and Aisha Pandor, under the heading “Sagarmatha… Then there’s Dirk Hoke, currently daughter of Minister of Science and sparking African unicorns”. Unicorn the CEO of Airbus Defence and Space Technology Naledi Pandor. n is a reference to company start-ups valued at more than US$1 billion. The article, complete with a massive BEE partner since 2001. ABB and restarted just days later. One of the graphic, quoted Lamontagne saying Siemens are arch rivals in the elec- charges he faces is that he undermined that Sagarmatha would provide “the trical technology sector, invariably the Kusile tender committee by issuing spark to many more African unicorns bidding against each other on most instructions that certain contracts in the future”. major contracts globally. went to ABB. Senekal de Wet ended her write-up Unless they’re fighting over a new In any event the article was no doubt with an “Editor’s note” which stated contract and ABB’s name needed to be a message to someone. And it’s likely that Sagarmatha aims to compete trashed, another explanation could be it was a message received – it can “with global technology giants such as that Eskom’s suspended acting-CEO no longer be found on Independent Amazon, Facebook… and Naspers”. Matshela Koko’s disciplinary hearing Media’s website. n The level of interference in Business Report’s editorial direction became most obvious when, on 20 November 2017, Senekal de Wet wrote a front- page lead titled “Corrupt deals cost ABB millions”. ABB is a Swiss-based global corporate best known for its dominance in the electrical technology sector. The story claimed the company had been sued and faced corruption charges. This is true – except they were sued in 2010. And the corruption charges had been well publicised many months earlier – in February 2017. Nothing has changed since then. It was nothing more than a rehash of really Tasting room open old facts – with a purpose: to advance Monday - Friday 09:00 - 17:00 boss Survé’s interests. The story failed every editorial test & Saturday 09:30 - 15:30 to qualify as news, let alone front-page news. It did, however, neatly remind readers that in 2015 ABB was awarded Cnr of R44 & Winery road, “a US $160 million (approx. R1,5 billion) between Somerset West & Stellenbosch …control and instrumentation (C&I) GPS: 34° 1’ 39.06 “ S 18° 49’ 12.83” E works contract” by Eskom at Kusile Power Station, which Siemens had Tel +27 (0)21 855 2374 expected to win. [email protected] Survé has a keen interest in Siemens, www.kenforresterwines.com having been its unbelievably well-paid

NOSEWEEK January 2018 11 Knysna fre: secret CSIR report bombshell

SECRET INTERNAL INVESTIGATION tered as disaster victims with Knysna the fire was started by an unknown by scientists at the Council Municipality. person using a pine-cone as a fire- for Scientific and Industrial Eskom engineer and scientist Dr lighter in a farmland clearing. At a Research into the origin of Wallace Vosloo, whose Elandskraal PowerPoint presentation by Manuel the Great Fire that engulfed farmhouse was one of the first to be to the media on August 14, municipal theA Garden Route town of Knysna devoured in the fast-moving inferno, manager Chetty stressed that the last year could open the floodgates to claims the western fire’s origin was a fire chief’s findings had been driven negligence lawsuits running into the lightning strike last April 12, which by “proper scientific methodology”. billions against Knysna Municipality caused an underground fire that was He said: “We now know for certain and its fire brigade. left to smoulder, unattended for eight that the fire started in the clearing The investigation, conducted by weeks. Vosloo, an outdoors zealot and was consistent with the weather specialist scientists at the CSIR’s addicted to longbow shooting and pattern and human activity.” prestigious Meraka Institute, set knife throwing, claims that despite At the presentation, Chetty and fire out to establish the origin of what repeated reports to the fire depart- chief Manuel both emphasised the is known as the western fire, which ments at Sedgefield and Knysna, no importance of the scientific input they started in the forests of Elandskraal, action was taken. had received from the CSIR in coming 20km north-west of Knysna, in the Forensic investigator Dr David to their conclusion. At the close, the early hours of June 7. Was it a long- Klatzow, retained by AfriForum to municipal manager said: “This report smouldering forest fire ignited by investigate the cause of the disaster, included evidence and opinions of the lightning? Or a man-made log fire lit agreed with the smouldering-fire CSIR and several other scientists by a pine-cone in a farmland clearing? hypothesis, concluding that a combi- and I must say that I am extremely The Great Fire was the worst, nation of hot, dry weather conditions impressed with their methodology.” most fearsome conflagration on the and the development of a strong Clinton Manuel’s full 131-page Garden Route since 1869. More than north-west wind, “impelled it to life” report, devoted entirely to the contro- 600 firefighters battled its separate to become a fully-fledged runaway fire versial western fire, was released four blazes for days. Seven people died in the early hours of June 7. days later, on August 18, complete and 10,000 were evacuated from This smouldering-fire theory was with photographs of the very pine their homes. Some 487 properties in dismissed out of hand by Knysna cone – bizarrely pictured on a bed of Eastford, Knysna Heights, Paradise Chief Fire Officer Clinton Manuel and unscathed dry leaves – and charred and part of Knysna Central were the town’s new municipal manager logs which he claimed set off the destroyed and 1,533 households regis- Kam Chetty. They maintain that runaway inferno.

12 Four days after that, AfriForum published the independent report they had commissioned from eminent forensic scientist Dr David Klatzow. Klatzow concluded the cause was the lightning strike site that had been left to smoulder. In his report Klatzow said: “Of concern is the timely and repeated warnings given to the authorities regarding this fire. It appears that these warnings did not result in any action being taken. Prompt fire prevention methods such as water- bombing and ground crews may very well have averted this western fire catastrophe.” Chetty retaliated angrily, saying Klatzow’s report was “one-sided and purports to apportion blame on Knysna Municipality”. The municipal manager added: “The Knysna munic- ipal investigation is based on a scien- tific methodology that included a thor- ough analysis of aerial and ground evidence and eye-witness accounts.” The drone image (above) of the smoul- The liberal name-dropping of the dering fire (note the surface burn mark) CSIR by Chetty and Manuel to give was sent to the municipality on May 27, weight and authority to the fire chief’s 11 days before the Great Fire of June report and its pine-cone conclusion did 7. Fire Chief Clinton claims this fire not go down well at the parastatal. only ever burned underground. Right: The CSIR responded by ordering its Meraka Institute to conduct a full Eskom scientist Dr Wallace Vosloo scientific investigation into the start of the western fire. The institute’s confi- dential report is authored by Dr Philip Frost, a senior scientist at the CSIR who heads a group at Meraka called Earth Observation Applications. This unit’s flagship project is the Advanced Fire Information System The report concludes (Afis), which uses state-of-the-art technology to provide fire managers Vosloo and a dozen other uninsured across the globe with information Elandskraal residents who lost their that the devastating about the prediction, detection, moni- homes in the June 7 inferno. toring and assessment of wildfires. “I can tell you, I’ve seen it (the western fire had Using a portfolio of polar orbiting and Meraka Institute report),” says Du geostationary satellites to provide Plessis. “It supports our view – the its origin not in the near real-time detection of global fire view that we’ve always held – that events, Afis specifically allows for the the fire didn’t emanate from humans early detection of lightning-caused being in that area; it emanated from infamous pine-cone, fires. that area that was smouldering for six Noseweek can reveal that the (sic) weeks.” but in the smouldering Meraka Institute report concludes So the report’s author, Dr Philip that the devastating western fire Frost, concluded that the origin of the fire caused by the had its origin not in the infamous western fire was the long-smouldering pine-cone, but in the smouldering fire underground fire? “Yes,” says Du lightning strike caused by the lightning strike. Plessis. This dramatic news, with its far- Can he remember any detail about reaching implications, is revealed by Frost’s conclusion? “I can remember Jean du Plessis, a Pretoria attorney a lot,” says the attorney. “I’m just not who represents fire victim Dr Wallace going to disclose it. I don’t want to

NOSEWEEK January 2018 13 embarrass Philip.” “used within context”. matter at this point. You know about The attorney’s disclosure means “Whether the CSIR agrees with the the sensitivities. I’m a scientist and that, far from the CSIR’s supplying views held by our clients is neither it’s not because I don’t want people scientific evidence to substantiate fire here nor there,” says a now back- to know what’s going on. But it’s chief Manuel’s pine-cone theory, its pedalling Du Plessis. “We have other become quite a big issue and we’ve world-famous Meraka Institute had information which does not fall within been dragged into this thing from the concluded that the fire’s origin was the scope of expertise of the CSIR, get-go in the wrong way and I’ve had the much-spurned lightning strike. which confirms our clients’ views to write reports to look into what was This has enormous legal ramifica- that the so-called Knysna fire origi- really going on.” tions. A smouldering fire, ignored for nated from the lightning strike which So just what was the CSIR’s involve- eight weeks by the fire departments, smouldered for weeks in Elandskraal. ment in the Knysna fire chief’s “scien- opens the way for insurance compa- “Having spoken to the CSIR recently, tific” investigation? “There was a nies to launch class actions for negli- I would propose that you go as far as meeting,” says Frost. “We helped gence of up to R4 billion against the to indicate that the CSIR prepared a Mr Manuel to identify the location relevant municipalities and their fire report which will probably go a long of where the drone footage was, to departments. Insurers Santam, alone, way to assist in confirming the origin confirm that there was a drone that face claims from fire victims totalling of the Knysna fire, whichever theory it flew over an area where there was a more than R700m. then confirms, if any. smouldering patch. That was our only Jean du Plessis has served “Section “I do however confirm that our clients contribution to his report. 3” notices on Knysna Municipality are confident, given the information “We weren’t even aware of the drone and Eden District Municipality of the they have, that the fire which smoul- imagery. Manuel showed us a drone Elandskraal community’s intention to dered in Elandskraal for weeks, is the image and we helped to identify the institute a R21-million damages claim fire that burnt down the Elandskraal location of the footage by comparing it for the failure of their fire departments community and most probably from to satellite information. At that point to extinguish the western fire and there spread to Knysna.” we had no information about anything prevent it from spreading, re-igniting Noseweek then put the question that was going on. Only subsequent or becoming uncontrollable. (Section 3 to the Meraka Institute’s Dr Philip to Manuel’s findings did we do a of the Institution of Legal Proceedings Frost: “As I understand it, you have full analysis which included satel- Against Certain Organs of State Act concluded that the origin of the lite information, drone information, requires notice of legal proceedings to western fire was a smouldering fire weather information. That’s what we be given within six months of an event caused by a lightning strike?” The produced for our report.” or debt falling due). CSIR’s senior scientist replied: “Well, Philip Frost then revealed: “There’s After Du Plessis told Noseweek we’re not allowed to say that yet a lot of new information that’s come about the Meraka Institute’s investi- because we haven’t released the offi- to light which was not available when gation and its shock conclusion, there cial report. That will happen in early Manuel did his report.” was apparently a dialogue between January. We’ll have a press briefing. Was the CSIR annoyed at its name the attorney and the institute’s Philip There’s going to be an official report being misused by Chetty and Manuel Frost. An email arrived from Du so then you will be able to see all the at the August 14 media briefing? Plessis explaining that Frost’s report gory details. I’ve been specifically told “No,” says Frost, “I think it was just had not been given to him; he was not to make any disclosures before we the context that needed to be set right, merely allowed to scan through a draft do an official press briefing.” what we contributed, which was not electronic copy on a CSIR computer Frost added: “We’ve disclosed clear. But we weren’t annoyed. It was in order to confirm that the infor- certain things to the provincial just a case of making clear what our mation supplied to the CSIR scien- disaster management group, but that contribution was. tists by Elandskraal residents was was also in confidence. It’s an internal “We look at satellite information

14 and from that point do an analysis. But we are not forensic experts. Show me a pine cone and I cannot comment on that. We have never commented on that part. We have contributed spatial information (data with direct or indi- rect reference to a specific location or geographical area). “There was never an endorsement, an official endorsement, from the CSIR. It will come out in the press briefing what our specific contribu- tion is and was. And hopefully – we don’t know, but maybe – it will even be a joint press briefing with Knysna Municipality. There are a lot of internal meetings that still need to take place.” Knysna’s municipal manager Kam Chetty, 58, was appointed Knysna’s municipal manager last July, a month after the Great Fire. He was previ- ously with Oudtshoorn Municipality, where he was appointed administrator in 2015 to restore proper governance Knysna fire chief Clinton Manuel and a turnaround strategy in the (above); and forensic scientist Dr David town struck by financial and infra- Klatzow structure crisis. Clinton Manuel, who started his career as a fire fighter in Cape Town convinced about the pine-cone theory. in 1988, was appointed fire chief in That farm used to be an old pine plan- Knysna three years ago and as such tation and there’s still the odd pine was in charge of the Knysna joint there. I know there are pine cones operations centre throughout the there because we sent people to walk Great Fire. In a rundown of Manuel’s around there and have a look.” career, Chetty said the fire chief had been involved in a number of major l Why, readers may ask, has the forensic fire investigations in the CSIR been holding back publication of Cape. “All have gone unchallenged the secret report of its Meraka Institute or, where they were challenged, his into the Great Fire, with its conclusion version was sustainable,” said Chetty. by senior scientist Dr Philip Frost, “So his conclusions have been verified that its cause was an underground and stood the test of a lot of interroga- fire that was ignited by lightning and tion and we have utmost confidence in left smouldering for eight weeks? his professional ability.” A neglected smouldering fire opens Chetty said the municipality desper- the door to what the Knysna council is ately needed the media’s assistance to stacked heavy fuel is the most prob- desperate to avoid – massive damages dispel “myths” flooding social media able cause of this devastating fire. claims against the municipality and on the cause of the fire (inspired by Dr There exists no other explanation for its fire department. But as Noseweek’s Wallace Vosloo’s reported lightning- this fuel to be stacked in this way, report states, the law dictates that strike theory). other than someone lighting a fire in notice of any litigation must be served In his PowerPoint presentation, fire that clearing in the early hours of 7 within six months. chief Manuel made much of the pres- June or late evening of 6 June 2017. In the case of the Great Fire, the ence of pine cones that he said acted as This fire becomes a new fire which deadline was December 6. Was the a firelighter for whoever lit the fire in is above ground and exposed to the CSIR, which according to Frost gave the Elandskraal forest clearing. This wind. It had all the dry fuel in its path advance sight of its confidential he considered to be vital evidence of to quickly become a runaway fire.” findings to the provincial disaster a man-made fire, since he said there The Elandskraal community’s management group, prevailed upon to were no pine trees in the area. attorney Jean du Plessis comments: hold back the release of its devastating In his written report Manuel “I’ve spoken to a lot of fire experts report until the December deadline concludes: “The pine cone with and I don’t think anybody is really had safely passed? – Ed. n

NOSEWEEK January 2018 15 Hell hath no fury like a sequestrated ex-wife Divorce of wealthy couple leaves ex-wife almost destitute – but she holds a trump card. By Jonathan Erasmus

HE EX-WIFE OF A PROMINENT Vryheid pig farmer has won an almost five-year battle against liquidators after she was se- questrated and left without a pennyT to her name. The formidable team of seasoned liquidators, represented by the insol- vency department of Africa’s largest law firm ENS, includes Pietermaritzburg liquidator Pierre Berrangé, ENS liqui- dation specialist Adam Lombard and Pietermaritzburg auctioneer Peter Maskell – all were outmanoeuvred by divorcee Renata Volker. From the outset, Renata maintained that the liquidation of the family busi- ness that she and ex-husband Thomas Volker once owned was nothing more than a sham put in motion by Thomas and his team of “legal hitmen-for-hire” plus a bit of help from his bankers, First National Bank and First Rand Bank. Their aim, says Renata, was to make sure she got nothing in the divorce settlement – a claim her ex-husband and Berrangé deny. In November, after the liquidators had been in occupation of the family Thomas Volker with new wife Monika farm for four years and had made numerous attempts to seize and sell Court records spread over several The audacious plan might have it, they hurriedly vacated the property years and in multiple courts from worked had it not been for a simple after Renata obtained a court interdict Paulspietersburg to Pretoria and oversight that neither bank, liquidator forbidding them to sell any more equip- Pietermaritzburg – reveal how nor pig farmer could overcome. Renata ment from the farm to fund their fees. Thomas Volker devised a strategy with had control of the family trust, and Berrangé and team now face the Berrangé and his divorce lawyer, Gert the trust owned all the land where the very real possibility of a damages Vonkeman, along with KwaZulu-Natal main family business operated. claim and have already been reported Advocate Eddie Lotz, to dismantle The significant point is that the to the Master of the High Court, while his family business, Penvaan Group trust had no debt so could not be liqui- Maskell has been reported to the of Companies, and – as Renata has dated to force the sale of the farm. The South African Council for the Property consistently maintained – leave his land could only change hands if the Valuers Profession. ex-wife with nothing. trust agreed to sell. It was practically

16 they also got the land. What was and is essentially a family feud began as far back as 2010 when Thomas wanted to divorce Renata after he found a new love interest in local Vryheid resident Monika Bates. All along Renata maintained that the liquidation was a sham, a claim her ex-husband and Berrangé have denied. “Thomas deliberately liquidated the companies in order to avoid paying me my share of the Joint Estate and maintenance. He colluded with Mr Berrangé, one of the joint liquidators, to have the companies liquidated in the hope of buying them back cheaply.” Renata accuses Maskell of having deliberately and illegally undervalued both immovable and movable property and of being a front for her ex-husband, to allow him to “buy back” the Volkers’ business assets. Prior to the divorce and liquidation the family ran successful piggeries, a meat wholesale business and a feed manufacturing plant. They reared cattle, grew timber and also owned several farms and properties in Renata Mignon Volker Pretoria and Cape Town. The annual turnover was approximately R100 impossible to sell the business sepa- million. Their assets were in excess of rately from the land as all the houses, R80m and their liabilities were about piggeries and other farm buildings, R40m. worth millions of rands, were firmly The matrimonial home was a R10m fixed to the land. All potential buyers mansion which they had built with the of the business were only prepared to intention of eventually turning it into buy from Berrangé on condition that a boutique hotel. Renata continues to live in it. By early 2013 the couple’s divorce proceedings were winding up. Thomas The audacious plan was in talks with his divorce attorney Gert Vonkeman, accountant Guy McEwan and Advocate Eddie Lotz. It might have worked is through these meetings that Thomas and his advisors decided to liquidate the family business, a process they had it not been for initiated by sending what was dubbed “the suicide letter” to ENS, the major IF YOU RENT PROPERTY law firm that then represented First a simple oversight National Bank and First Rand Bank KEEP THIS NUMBER – the company’s biggest creditors – asking them to wind up the businesses. I CAN HELP YOU WITH that neither bank, The lawyer in ENS’s liquidations PROBLEM TENANTS department (headed by Leonard “Lennie the Liquidator” Katz) who I CAN ASSIST YOU WITH THE liquidator nor pig handled the matter, was Adam RENTAL HOUSING TRIBUNAL Lombard, who often writes a column farmer could overcome about liquidations that is syndi- IF YOU DON’T NEED ME NOW, cated in newspapers belonging to the YOU WILL LATER Independent Media group. The letter painted a grim picture JOHN: 082 901 0824

NOSEWEEK January 2018 17 of the group’s flagship businesses, a land claim by the Zagila Community. larly for themselves. I can bring a case Penvaan Feeds and Penvaan Estates, The state was willing to make the against them because it is actually my which manufactured animal feed, had purchase an order of the court. Renata money that they have stolen,” Thomas timber plantations and farmed pigs. had been keen to make the sale, told the creditors. These were key businesses in the inte- Thomas had not. Nevertheless with the liquidation in grated group. The letter stated that When the companies were placed motion Berrangé and Thomas had a these two companies owed the credi- under provisional liquidation, KZN big problem: without the trust’s land tors R28,5m and owed FNB a further valuer Alan Stephenson who had the liquidation value was limited. They R25m. been contracted by Renata’s divorce needed control of the trust. It said that if the bank didn’t act lawyers to undertake valuations of The second problem was that, while quickly, the fate of 4,000 pigs hung in the company’s fixed assets, informed the trust had three trustees, namely the balance, as there was no money to Berrangé about the government offer. Renata, Thomas, and an independent feed them and other creditors might But Berrangé ignored it, only to resur- from Pretoria called Johannes de Witt, obtain court orders against the group. rect it eight months later after the final De Witt always voted with Renata, “We have so advised the joint director liquidation order, and sold for R23,4m, giving her control of the trust. of the companies, TW Volker, that the earning a sizable fee from the sale. If Renata stated in court papers that circumstances set forth hereunder will this sale had been concluded when she was approached by Berrangé and have a negative effect on the exposure Berrangé was first informed, Renata Thomas “on more than one occasion, of FNB, the security of FNB and the believes the entire liquidation could [to say] that if we did not agree to the recovery of the debt of the said two have been halted. disposal of the trust property, hundreds companies by FNB”, read Vonkeman’s Furthermore it later became evident of pigs would have to be euthanized, letter. to both Renata and Thomas that that the SPCA would have to become “By virtue of the above-mentioned Berrangé’s chosen auctioneer Maskell involved and that I was being unrea- facts, we believe the position of the had a penchant for undervaluing their sonable and unrealistic in refusing to companies to be extremely precarious,” assets. sell the trust property”. said the letter. In April 2016 Thomas told two She said no. On 19 March 2013 FNB rushed to creditors in a recorded meeting that So to get around this problem first attach Penvaan Feeds and Penvaan Berrangé and Maskell “screwed” him FNB, through ENS, tried to liqui- Estates – other businesses in the group out of his fleet of vehicles by drastically date the trust, claiming it had signed were added at a later stage – and under-selling them. He also claimed surety over the companies being launched an urgent court application they had made half the value disap- wound up. However in March 2014 for the liquidation of the companies. pear. Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge On 22 March 2013 the North “Berrangé and them [sic] took irregu- Poyo Dlwati said Thomas was the only Gauteng High Court placed the compa- trustee who had signed the suretyship nies into provisional liquidation and by on behalf of the trust and therefore it that afternoon Pierre Berrangé wrote a was not binding. letter to the Master of the High Court to Then eight months later, Berrangé be appointed liquidator. Five days later They said hundreds brought a high court application he provided the Master with a R20m against the trust, claiming it had surety bond to secure his appointment been unfairly enriched to the value of as liquidator of the companies and on of pigs would have to R16,46m by the company’s improve- 6 May 2013 the liquidation order was ments on the land. This matter still made final. be euthanized, the hasn’t been finalised. Prior to receiving the “suicide letter”, Then in February 2016 a third option FNB had given no indication that arose: sequestrate Renata, effectively they were contemplating putting the SPCA would become removing her as trustee of the trust. companies into liquidation. Thomas would gain control and sell Renata’s assertion that the liquida- the land – or at least that was the plan. tion was unnecessary and was delib- involved and I was The trust, in the meantime, had erately manufactured to cut her out turned to the courts, claiming the liqui- of her share in the divorce is given dators were in illegal occupation of the credence through several incidents being unreasonable land, having never paid a rental and preceding and shortly after the liqui- wanting them evicted. This matter too dation. has yet to be concluded. On 23 February 2013, a month before in refusing to sell the Due to the nature of the tit-for-tat the surprise liquidation was set in legal wrangle that has dragged on since motion, the Penvaan Group had been 2013, FNB at one stage obtained a cost offered R24m by the Department of trust property order against Renata for R181,100. Rural Development and Land Affairs It was for this that they decided to for one of their businesses that was sequestrate her. based on another farm. It was part of Renata was broke. She had not

18

received an income for several years But Thomas and Berrangé never and Thomas had reneged on the gained control of the trust. The trust maintenance order, claiming poverty deed stipulated that family must be despite it being common knowledge appointed, so Thomas and Renata’s that he was still working under the three sons were duly nominated guise of another company registered in about August 2017. They too in the name of his new love (and now, begrudged their father, and siding wife) Monika Bates. with their mother, chose not to vote for Association of Arbitrators Renata claimed that by 2016 Thomas his sale proposals. (Southern Africa) NPC owed her at least R600,000. Instead, on 3 November 2017, the Berrangé, who rubbished Renata’s trust successfully moved to obtain The leading Alternative Dispute multiple claims, blamed her for her an interdict stopping Maskell and own misfortune. “It does not lie in the Berrangé from selling any more assets, Resolution organisation in mouth of [Renata] to complain that including the 130 hectares of timber on Southern Africa. she has no income and no means of the farm. In the interdict they raised support, taking into account her outra- the issue of the liquidators’ not paying The benefits of being a Member of geous and unreasonable demands. She any rent and that their occupation of the Association are: is and remains the author of her own the farm was illegal. misfortune,” he told the court. This interdict was a mortal blow. • Education and training – Renata had wanted half the estate Knowing the game was up, and keen which enables members to and had obtained a R20,000-a-month to safeguard the R20m suretyship elevate their status from that maintenance order from Thomas, they had given the Master of the High of Associate to Fellow; which he never paid. Court, Berrangé and ENS decided on Berrangé said that, had Renata immediately exiting the farm. “adopted a reasonable and common- A week later, on 13 November, • Once Fellowship status has sense attitude during the divorce Lombard informed the trust lawyers been acquired – upon proceedings”, her sequestration would Shepstone and Wylie that they would successful completion of the not have happened. vacate the premises by 18 November, two-year Fellowship Thomas admitted at the April 2016 which would involve the “disconnection Admission Course – creditors’ meeting that the seques- of the electricity”. He said any claims Members are eligible for tration was less about the debt owed that they had damaged the properties and more about gaining control of the had “no basis for any such claims” as admission to the panel of trust. He said it was “good news” that had been raised by valuer Stephenson arbitrators from which “FNB brought an application to have in previous correspondence. appointments are made. my ex-wife sequestrated”. Estelle de Wet from Shepstone and Once she was removed as trustee, he Wylie called the liquidators’ action said, he’d call a meeting with De Witt of cutting off the electricity a “grave The following courses are now (the Pretoria trustee) and they would inconvenience” which had left Renata, open for registration in 2018: vote on the sale of the farm. Thomas literally living in the dark. said he had a casting vote and if this “This conduct is not only grossly wasn’t successful he had a new trustee unreasonable but is clearly calculated • Accelerated Course for lined up. “That was the whole idea why to make life as difficult as possible for Advocates and Attorneys; they sequestrated her,” said Thomas. our client who, to your client’s know- • Certificate in Arbitration; After initially opposing the move, ledge, lives on the property and whose Renata was sequestrated in March safety will now be at risk,” said De Wet. • Fellowship Admission 2017. Lombard’s response: “Our clients’ Course; In her “Statement of Debtors Affairs” conduct is not aimed at making your submitted to the court Renata said client’s life difficult. The disconnection • Specialisation in “my ex-husband and Pierre Berrangé of the electricity is only aimed at mini- Construction Law. have left me with the clothes that I mising the costs of administration. wear and some jewellery which is of We therefore suggest that your client little value”. makes arrangements to begin paying “The reason for my insolvency is that for her own consumption”. Closing Date my ex-husband TW Volker colluded De Wet replied: “There is no point in 28 February 2018 with Adv Eddie Lotz, Attorneys Gert debating this issue with you. The fact Vonkeman and Adam Lombard of remains that two days’ notice cannot ENS, Accountant Guy McEwan and possibly be considered to be reason- various officials of FNB and FRB, to able in any circumstances, and the To enroll, kindly send an email to: sequestrate the Penvaan group of only inference to be drawn is that your [email protected] companies of which my ex-husband clients intended to inconvenience our and I were joint directors.” client as much as possible.” n Visit our website: www.arbitrators.co.za NOSEWEEK January 2018 19

Nowhere to go but up A young Afrikaans woman from the Cape today stars as an MP for the Inkatha Freedom Party, long seen as a political home for Zulu nationalists. Sue Segar reports on Liezl van der Merwe’s mission to fght for justice – with the social grants fasco top of her list

FP MP LIEZL VAN DER MERWE believes that Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini is playing a “critical endgame” aimed Iat making it impossible for the South African Post Office to take over the payment of social grants – all so that she can keep Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) in the picture at all costs. “She has completely engineered this crisis, again,” says Van der Merwe, referring to recent delays in finalising a deal with the Post Office. “There is talk that she’s involved in the establishment of another company which will be waiting in the wings to take over from CPS, with the same individuals benefiting as before. Her endgame is to delay any progress until April so that this new company can take over in minutes. Time is running out and the Post Office doesn’t even have the green light yet to start working on this properly. That is my real fear,” says Van der Merwe when interviewed by Noseweek. “People are now breaking ranks to get this information out. Dlamini Liezl van der Merwe flanked by Inkatha Deputy President Inkosi Mzamo is still hellbent on making it impos- Buthelezi (left) and IFP MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa sible for the Post Office, so she can keep CPS. More and more people are speaking out, saying ‘enough is “Let’s be frank, Bathabile Dlamini are still negotiating. enough’. But it might take a year for us has done everything she can in the past “I don’t think that the leadership to get to the bottom of this. She should seven months to block the Post Office of our country realises how much go to jail.” from playing a role in distributing panic and frustration this has caused Van der Merwe, along with fellow social grants. Now she is being forced to those who rely on the grants as opposition MPs, has been on her feet in to work with them, but we have fewer their only lifeline. The panic among Parliament time and time again asking than 90 working days left to sort this pensioners is alarming, but Bathabile questions about social-grant contracts. process out. Even the Auditor General Dlamini doesn’t care.” She does not hesitate to describe CPS has asked how it could be reasonably Van der Merwe has good reason to as “a bunch of crooks” in committee possible for the Post Office to take over be concerned about social grants – her meetings and during debates. in such a short time-frame. And they own grandmother is one of the millions

20 of social-grant recipients in South Africa today. She is unapproachable, Malema, as well as SACP central Africa. “Obviously I help out, but if rude and dismissive. She insults people committee member and Deputy the money doesn’t go into her account, when she doesn’t want to answer ques- Minister of Higher Education Buti she will be kicked out of her home. She tions. She’s shown complete disregard Manamela. won’t have food or a roof over her head. for the Constitutional Court and for “Buti is a great orator and a Bathabile Dlamini is playing with the grant recipients. She is untouchable.” wonderful person. We hang out and lives of our grandmothers.” The social grants fiasco is just talk politics. And I am a great admirer Van der Merwe spends many another blight of the Zuma presidency of Julius Malema because he speaks weekends in rural KwaZulu-Natal – but Van der Merwe is optimistic truth to power. We should never addressing these and other concerns about the future of South Africa. under-estimate the arrival of the EFF of the poor and vulnerable. She also “We have reached a very low point. into politics. Malema has shown us receives more than 25 emails a day Jacob Zuma’s leadership has brought it’s okay to be young, bold and brave from worried people who are unsure our country to its knees. But we will and to speak truth to power. I find him of what’s going on with their social get out of this. I think things will highly intellectual. I don’t support all grants. get worse towards 2019 but in 2019, the EFF’s policies – like those on land “Through the government’s abso- whether we end-up with a govern- – but we will navigate those issues lute mismanagement of this process, ment under the leadership of Cyril when we get to that point. there is virtually mass panic among Ramaphosa or under an opposition “I also really respect Maimane for pensioners about whether they will be leader, that is when we will start to the way he conducts himself – always paid on 1 April 2018. While all these turn the country around, back to the in the best interests of our country. He high-level negotiations go on, nobody rainbow nation we are supposed to be. is so brave and young and has great is communicating with the people on “There is light at the end of the skills as an orator. It can’t be easy the ground. They just hear that there tunnel. That’s what excites me. I dream running an opposition party under is no deal and that they might not get of a better future in South Africa, these circumstances. He has a lot on their grants. There is real fear. where there is no Bathabile Dlamini.” his shoulders. “There is also the issue of the cards, The 2019 elections, she believes, will “The main issue among young South with many people believing they will allow younger leaders to come forward Africans is that so many talented, expire on 31 December 2017, and yet and shine. “There is a real possibility liberated young people are simply not nobody is communicating with them. that the DA breaks past 30%, and that able to find a job. Wherever I go, young I am making it my business to assure both the EFF and the IFP grow. Then people come to me and tell me they them that the cards will work and we have a real possibility that between don’t have a job. The greatest challenge they will get their grants in one way our three parties, along with smaller for us as leaders is to ensure we get the or another. People in their eighties are opposition parties, we could offer the economy going so young people with telling me, ‘this is the only money I country the opportunity of an opposi- passion and talent are able to live their have got, if I don’t get it, I won’t eat’. tion government. It is not a far-fetched dreams and make a contribution.” Then there’s the problem of ongoing idea. The great thing about opposition Van der Merwe also relates to those illegal deductions from social grants. politics today is that we are younger students struggling to get through “I would say that about 90% of people and hardworking and that is so good higher education. “One of my abiding have been affected by illegal deduc- for democracy.” memories is that after I had completed tions, based on the number of affida- Van der Merwe has “the utmost my diploma in journalism, I went vits I have received,” says Van der respect” for both DA leader Mmusi home and told my mother I wanted to Merwe. “It’s one thing to put a stop to Maimane and EFF leader Julius study to be a lawyer. illegal deductions and another to get She said: ‘There is no money. Your the money back. Once we have stabi- step-dad’s business has collapsed. lised the Post Office’s takeover of the You’ve just had a loan for your grants payment system, we should The 2019 elections, diploma. You won’t be able to get launch a court case, go after CPS and another one. Your only option is to go sue them for money taken from grant and work.’ That was the most devas- recipients illegally. We must make sure Van der Merwe tating moment of my life. That is why it goes back to the recipients, not those the issue of Fees Must Fall resonates CPS crooks who took money from the strongly with me, that child standing government through an illegal contract believes, will allow in the kitchen crying.” and then stole poor people’s money. Van der Merwe describes herself “It’s astonishing that Minister younger leaders to as an obsessively hard worker. “I love Bathabile Dlamini knew these people this country and am passionately were profiting from an illegal contract committed to being part of building and yet enabled them to steal from come forward South Africa. the poor. How can a person like that “Coming from a staunch Afrikaans occupy such a senior position? background and realising the mistakes “She symbolises everything that’s and shine we have made in our past, I feel what I wrong with the ANC and with South do is a calling, not a job.” n

NOSEWEEK January 2018 21 Itching to get into politics IEZL VAN DER MERWE WAS BORN IN tice, was when a young coloured girl other language and Public Relations 1980 in the working class sub- arrived at the school in about 1996. courses before working as a sub-editor urb of Goodwood, Cape Town. “She was not made to feel welcome. It for various online publications in the Her father, Rikus Faasen, was made me feel angry.” 2000s. She moved to London in 2005 in and out of jobs and her moth- When Van der Merwe was 16, her and joined ITV as a communications er,L Linda, who didn’t have a matric, mother developed bad depression and officer and later, communications juggled two or three jobs at a time to tried to commit suicide. “That was room manager. support the family. when my struggles really started. By Whilst working in London, she real- “On top of that, she looked after me the time I was in my mid-twenties, her ised she was itching to get into poli- and did all the housework. My parents depression had manifested in many tics. She responded to an advertise- divorced when I was about three. I forms of mental illness. ment for a media job with the IFP and lived with my mom in a little flat in “I was all she had… she got divorced got the job. “At the time we weren’t Parow East, near the train station. from my stepfather and my life started expected to take-up IFP membership, Sometimes we had just enough money revolving around looking after my but because I had already read about for half a loaf of bread. There were mother – to ensure she was eating and Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and always issues around maintenance. that she had a roof over her head.” his stance on things. I felt it could be At the time, I thought my mother was Van der Merwe got a loan to study a political home for me. I have now rendered weak by our situation – and for a diploma in Journalism at City found my political home and have I’m sure that’s why my priority in my Varsity, Cape Town, and did a few been blessed by the journey.” work is to fight for women’s rights. From an early age, Van der Merwe wanted to change the world. “I would see powerful people on television, Lure of IFP was its proud track record while watching my mother struggling. I decided early on that I’d become a HE IFP, THIRD-LARGEST OF THE balances to limit unfettered power politician or a lawyer.” opposition parties, played a that, history has shown, always When Liezl was ten years old her leading role during Codesa, produces corruption. mother remarried and decided to have the negotiations to end apart- “The IFP won several victories at daughter’s name changed to that of heid, in particular in advocat- the negotiating table, not least, the her stepfather, Van der Merwe. She ingT for the need for provinces. The inclusion of the Bill of Rights. recalls that as a child, she was always IFP favours federalism, believing “The IFP tabled the need for social asking her parents to buy her books that power should be in the hands of and economic rights; a constitutional on politics. “My step-dad would say, ‘is people at grassroots level. court; independent organs of state there something wrong with this child, “This is a philosophy I share,” says controlling the executive; the recog- doesn’t she want a toy or something?’” Liezl van der Merwe. “It was also nition of indigenous and customary While in high school Van der Merwe the IFP that tabled the need for a law; a federal state with provinces; was reading about Nelson Mandela, Bill of Rights to be included in the and many other aspects of a modern Mangosuthu Buthelezi and other Constitution. constitution. political figures. “I was completely “The ANC failed to see the need “This is the proud track-record of infatuated with Madiba and I have all for it, believing that a democratic the IFP that I am pleased to be asso- his books. I read Maya Angelou poems government would never infringe on ciated with, and one that ultimately a lot. I read a lot about Winston the rights of its people. made my decision to join the IFP an Churchill because I like his wit and “The IFP approached constitu- easy one. I was always inspired by Barack tional negotiations from a different “Also, upon meeting Prince Obama’s approach to people.” angle. While others focused on the Buthelezi for the first time in 2006, She attended Paarl Gimnasium details of the transfer of power, the I was struck by his humility, friend- High School – “an excellent school IFP looked ahead to the kind of liness, wisdom and his steadfastness where I made many friends”. She democracy we were forging. The IFP in every issue that he tackled. became a top athlete, and earned insisted on discussing issues like the His leadership, together with the Boland and Western Province colours form of state – whether South Africa party’s proud track-record in fighting for running. She still loves sport. would be a unitary or a federal state, for social and economic justice, Having served as deputy head girl whether the powers of governance were the reasons why I took up IFP of the school and the boarding school, would be centralised or devolved, membership and remain a proud and Van der Merwe matriculated in 1998. and how we could create checks and loyal party member. n The first time she witnessed injus-

22 Liezl van der Merwe with her mother, Linda (above) and (right) holding hands with Mangosuthu Buthelezi at an IFP march

She joined the IFP in 2006, working first as a media officer to the IFP leader Buthelezi and then head of media and research for the IFP caucus. She joined the IFP Youth Brigade and worked her way up in the structures, becoming a Member of Parliament in 2012 at the age of 32. She is serving her second term as an MP in the National Assembly. She is also the IFP Director of Communications and serves on the portfolio committees to people who are never able to fulfil in the northern suburbs. I don’t hold of Women and Social Development, their life goals.” grudges. I am not angry. He sends me among others. Van der Merwe’s mother died in SMSs saying he is very proud of me. Van der Merwe is now studying 2010, before she became an MP in “Throughout my life, I have had to towards a BA in politics and public 2012. be a very strong person for myself. administration through Unisa – with “My mother died young. I am sad My school friends have been there for a few law subjects thrown in – and she didn’t see me become an MP. She me throughout my life. In fact, when consistently achieves A grades. became consumed by mental illness. I made my maiden speech as an MP, “Getting to where I am, I sometimes Those years of my life were traumatic. I had no family in Parliament; my look back and say that I have had a She became my child. So the issues I friends from boarding school were all very difficult life. I had to look after fight in Parliament are things close there. I had always told them that one a woman who was meant to mother to my heart. Issues like empowering day I will be an MP and I will make a me. Sometimes I would say, ‘why are women, empowering the girl child, change in South Africa.” you so weak?’ She told me she had and ensuring that school girls have Her maiden speech took place at a suffered abuse and today, knowing access to free sanitary towels are crit- joint sitting for Women’s Day. “I spoke what I know, I can see what she was ical issues – issues I choose to cham- about my mother and the challenges struggling with. pion.” she had faced and how they made me “The physical and mental torment After her biological parents’ divorce, the woman I am today. I said I will some women go through can seriously Van der Merwe only met her father always work for women’s issues and affect their children. It can rob girls again when she turned 18. “Today the rights of the girl child. That’s how of their education and reduce them he lives round the corner from me I will spend my time at Parliament.”

NOSEWEEK January 2018 23 On KwaZulu-Natal, the province don’t have researchers. I offered prince told me the other day it has where most IFP supporters live: “It him a date ball the other day and he crept into his heart!” is not only the beauty of the province, said, ‘is this white people’s stuff?’ We Home for her is the MPs’ village at but of the people. It is a beautiful place joke about the idiosyncrasies of our Acacia Park. with beautiful kind, warm people.” different backgrounds and this is how “My only off time is Christmas. People often ask her why she chose we learn from one another’s cultures. I On weekends I travel to KZN. I the IFP as her party and not the DA see him every day and he is the closest have bought a small piece of land in or ANC. “The IFP’s policies are not thing I have to a brother. He often tells Sutherland in the Karoo, where I hope that different from the DA or ANC. me I am a blessing in his life.” to put up a little house and end up We have well-crafted policies, we When she’s not working, she spends there. only differ from the two main parties time with her two pugs. “I am a total On her own long-term ambitions: mainly on issues around traditional dog fanatic. I love walking my dogs. “My first big goal is to contest for a leadership. My loyalty to the IFP is If I am not travelling around South leadership position in my party. I see closely linked to my relationship with Africa, then I’m at home, walking the myself in the future as part of the top the president of the party. I believe in dogs, doing fun-runs – or reading; I six leaders in the party so that I can the type of South African he is. He has love political biographies.” more strategically influence its future. inculcated values in me, like family Van der Merwe says her black Then, when the day arrives, when values, respect, and constructive colleagues initially didn’t understand there is a government comprised of opposition. I believe that constructive her obsession with dogs. “We don’t opposition parties, I hope that whoever opposition is critical for the growth of realise how many people are scared of leads it considers me for a position in this country. It is fine to criticise, but dogs. Hlengwa used to say to me, ‘dogs the executive – as a deputy minister then we must come up with construc- are for protection’. They should be or a minister. But I will be willing to tive ideas and solutions. I often think kept outside. These days, Hlengwa is serve in any position. that some opposition parties ride on thinking of getting a small dog for his “And, of course, I want to finish that the ANC’s failures without bringing son. And Princess Irene (Buthelezi’s law degree. I will probably be 40 when anything new to the table. Also, in wife), recently got a new lapdog. The I get it but that’s okay!” n the IFP, I have been given much more opportunity to grow.” On Buthelezi, she says: “I love him very much. With my not having really had a solid family life, the IFP, as a Valuations warrior strikes again smaller party, has been my family. I was a kid when I joined. It is more than HE TSHWANE CITY COUNCIL LAST department responded with a letter just a political home. I found a family year commissioned a new valua- clearly calculated to intimidate and and they have given me opportunities I Ttion roll, to be valid for calculat- discourage him from pursuing these would never have had otherwise. ing property rates applicable from objections. Inter alia he was warned “Prince Buthelezi has been a real July 2017 until June 2020. Notices he would not be allowed to rectify or father figure to me. Whenever I’ve were published inviting those who elaborate on any of his objections – screwed up, he’s said to me, ‘try again’. wished to object to any valuation to and that he should expect to be chal- When I was once the subject of a nega- do so within a prescribed period. lenged on the grounds that he had no tive media article, he said, ‘why are you Howick-based rates activist Dr locus standi (legal standing) to make even worrying about it? I’ve suffered Robert McLaren (noses 202, 203, 207, any of these objections, regardless of a career of negative publicity’. He’s 211 & 215) found reason to file no their merit. always been a pillar of strength. He fewer than 700 objections, most They then quote at length from the is a man of integrity who works really relating to the significant undervalu- Constitution about a citizen’s rights hard. If he gets a hundred letters, he ation of numerous high-end proper- – presumably those wealthy citi- won’t go to bed until he has responded ties and shopping mall complexes. zens lucky enough to have had their to every one of them.” For example, he demonstrates that properties undervalued – to lawful Her “best friend in the world” is the well-known Menlyn Park shop- and procedurally fair administrative fellow IFP MP, Mkhuleko Hlengwa. ping mall, valued on the roll at action – ultimately that he will have “We became really close when we were R3.5 billion, should be valued at to satisfy the council that he has both sworn in and thrown in the deep R5.9bn, making a huge difference in a personal interest and is directly end as very young MPs. I was 32 and the amount of rates to be collected. affected by each incorrect valuation he was 24. We looked at each other Similarly the Centurion mall valued he is challenging. and knew we were the new IFP gener- at R1.7bn, should be paying rates on His sharp reply: The council’s own ation and we had to have each other’s a valuation of R4bn. regulations say “any person” may backs. We often brainstorm together The SA Reserve Bank’s building, object to a valuation; in addition, he about the issues we are dealing with valued at R200 million, should be argues that, as a citizen, he is enti- or for speeches we are making in more than double that; similarly the tled to demand all ratepayers carry Parliament. SARS offices in New Muckleneuk. their fair share of the rates burden. “We write all our own stuff as we Bizarrely, the council’s valuations [To be continued.] n

24 Books MICHIEL HEYNS

Restrained depiction. Unrestrained activities

LAN HOLLINGHURST CREATED SOME- times it almost obscures the merely human thing of a stir in literary circles with characters, and it is perhaps a drawback his first novel, The Swimming-Pool of the time lapses in the novel (there are Library, at the time (1988) one of five sections, spread out over the novel’s six the first explicitly, indeed graphi- decades) that there is little sense of conti- cally,A gay novels to demand to be taken nuity of character: figures come and go with seriously as literature, as much by its el- disconcerting abruptness. The pleasure lies egant style as by its setting – upper middle- not in following the fortunes of a single class London – and its characters – upper character or set of characters, but in tracing middle-class Londoners, with a fair deal of a kind of hidden design, what Anthony rough trade in supporting roles. This blend THE SPARSHOLT AFFAIR Powell called A Dance to the Music of Time, of the urbanely sophisticated and the out- By Alan Hollinghurst in which the characters, without intending right scurrilous continued in Hollinghurst’s (Picador) or realising it, participate. Thus towards the three next novels, the second of which, end of the novel, Johnny, the gay artist son The Line of Beauty, receiving the ultimate of David Sparsholt, eponym of the famous stamp of literary approval by winning the Affair, reflects, as he walks his 74-year-old Man Booker Prize in 2004. Then, in The father away from a long-delayed visit to Stranger’s Child, the novel preceding the Evert Dax, the man he had briefly loved one under review, Hollinghurst once again in Oxford in 1940, on the “irony, or anyway dismayed the literary world, this time by oddity, of these two father-figures having being almost coyly reserved in his depiction long ago been friends, and then, astonish- of matters sexual, though his characters ingly, lovers”. To add to the irony or oddity, were as active as ever, if only off-stage. Dax is the present lover of Ivan, an ex-lover Now, in this novel, Hollinghurst once of Johnny’s. The concealed pattern of the again favours a more restrained depiction past thus sometimes unexpectedly reveals of the unrestrained activities of his charac- itself, either enrichingly, as here, or inexo- ters, with just here and there a startlingly rably, as in the Affair that ruins Johnny’s intimate glance at the physical realities father’s career and haunts Johnny’s youth underlying the opulent style. The novel and adulthood. extends over three generations, from 1940 Indeed, it is part of Hollinghurst’s to 2012, taking in the War, the Coal Miners’ mastery of his vast material (at 454 pages, Strike of the 70s, and then the sexual free- this is a very long novel), that all or most doms of the 90s (with, perhaps oddly, no of the apparently disparate strands of the mention of the Aids crisis of the late 80s and novel do ultimately form a richly satis- 90s). Throughout, Hollinghurst deploys, not fying, beautifully worked tapestry. But if to say displays, his superb responsiveness it is a novel much concerned with memory to the look, the feel, the smell, the texture (two important allusions in the novel are of places, whether as a triumph of observa- to memoirs and to portrait-painting, two tion, research or imagination. His evocation kinds of record-keeping), the last section, of wartime Oxford, which he could not have “Consolations”, attempts to imagine also experienced, is as vivid as any of the more a liberation from the patterns of the past: contemporary settings: “Now the lane was on one hand, through the marriage of Lucy, a little black canyon, its gabled and chim- Johnny’s daughter-by-donation, and then neyed rim just visible to us against the deep through Johnny’s meeting with the irre- charcoal of the sky.” But in a later section, pressible young Zé. The future, though a file of cars at a traffic light is observed uncertain, seems for the moment untram- with the same minute attention: “The lights melled by the past – though here, too, in the changed, the slow release of inertia passed portrait that Johnny is painting of Lucy, he backward through the crowd of cars.” notes “the eyes the blue-grey (he saw it at The texture of the writing is so rich that at last) of her dead grandfather’s”. n

NOSEWEEK January 2018 25 Letter from Umjindi BHEKI MASHILE

Zimbabwe. Nothing like a good coup

S I PUNCH AWAY AT MY KEYBOARD information that is of public interest, able members of our population. writing this piece, I must say it stays with them. Then one day, However, not all needs to be lost. This, I am in very good spirits. So unexpectedly, the journo is reminded here Nose is read by policymakers, so what if the recent heavy rains of that issue and simply cannot walk when we again publish findings on we’ve been enjoying passed away without looking into it. the risks of GMO, the Department of throughA my farm with winds that Sometime in the not-too-distant Health will hopefully take the respon- resembled a hurricane instead of a past my doctor was giving me healthy sibility of widely informing the public. downpour – and said rains made half eating advice and one of the things A public that is now being cautioned the corrugated iron on my shed look he warned me to stay away from about the very product they live on like a crushed soda can. So what, as was mielie meal. Maize. Argh! not a day in and day out. the brothers in the States would say, problem there, I am a pasta and rice How important is this information? “siiit, ain’t nothing but a chicken man anyway. However, I’ve never Well, I recently read that South Africa wing”. A chicken wing? Huh. I have to turned my nose up at porridge when is the only country in Sub-Saharan pay to have this “siiit” repaired. it’s offered. Africa that has allowed Genetically As an African, I’m tempted to blame The reason my good doctor raised Modified maize. All other countries this corrugated crush on witchcraft, the red flag on the nation’s staple have shied away from it. Why? When however, I think it’s mother nature was because of GMOs (Genetically I asked the good doctor what the risks paying me back, on behalf of this- Modified Organisms), the organism were, he said: “too much you will need here-Nosey’s admin guru Nicci, for my in this case being the maize seed. So to research, but one thing I can tell quip: “Don’t worry about your drought I’ll be conducting my own research you is there has been an increase in the Cape, I’ll send you a bottle of on why one should shy away from it – in illnesses such as kidney failure water”. Well who’s laughing now? perhaps I’ll get round to it some time among this country’s black popula- Hey I’m laughing cause it ain’t in 2018. tion, regular consumers of pap”. nothing but a chicken wing, definitely In the mean time, recently, while Nosey ones, clearly this (GMO) thing not with my Uncle Bob to put a smile buying mielie meal to have on hand cannot be cast aside as, “ain’t nothing on my face. for guests, I was struck by a warning but a chicken wing”. So sad that our liberator of Ian label on the packaging. It said “may Back to Uncle Bob. Well there is Smith’s racist Rhodesia ended up contain genetically modified ingredi- nothing like a good coup – tanks becoming a power obsessed buffoon. ents”. rolling, a leader shown shell-shocked, In fact my joy is not just from Uncle May? My immediate reaction (that people celebrating – to make a news Bob but the highly entertaining event journalistic response I despise) was: broadcast captivating entertainment. in which he was the star attraction, “Well I’ll be damned, this is what the This scribe regularly enjoyed such the November 14 “coup” launched by good doctor was talking about. Surely entertainment in the seventies on his once-loyal military brass. See what there must be some substance to his American news broadcasts. Man oh happens when you let the brass get caution or this warning would not be man, the seventies were definitely the dull or, in Uncle Bob’s case, relegate it on this packaging”. But herein lies the decade of coups. But they were always to a bunch of toy soldiers? problem: the majority of people who in distant lands far flung from New Yes, yes it’s over, and Uncle has are the largest consumers of mielie York. So, for it to happen right next come to his senses and stepped down. meal will not have a clue as to what door in Zim made one feel right in the But hey, his insistence on holding on GMO is – that is, if they notice or pay middle of the action. to power resulting in the army’s action attention to the warning at all. However, there is a sadness to see made my day, brought back some fond This creates a serious dilemma for Uncle have to leave in that manner. memories. But will get to that at the a journo like myself whose Umjindi After all, he did spearhead the libera- end. Guardian community newspaper was tion of the country. But more than There is one thing about journalism dedicated to informing the public anything, at least we will no longer that I despise: with experience, one about issues such as this. Surely, with have to endure his annoying sons develops a very strong sense of obser- the Nose having written about it in the tweeting about how they can buy vation. In other words, when a jour- past, and now my bringing it up again, expensive watches because papa nalist comes across the slightest is not going to reach the most vulner- “owns” a country. n

26 NOSEWEEK January 2018 27 Not rocket science SIBUSISO BIYELA

Aids hocus pocus. Have we learned nothing?

’M USUALLY A PRETTY NICE GUY TO a crank, in spite of an overwhelming everyone who knows me. It takes scientific consensus. This one example a lot to get me mashing at the is proof-enough of how dangerous bad virtual buttons of my pocket com- ideas around HIV and Aids can be. puter in righteous anger – but The issue is too big, too dire to be able thoseI conspiracy theories about HIV to tolerate the “have your own views, and Aids have sure got what it takes I will keep mine” rhetoric that I get to wipe that Mr Nice Guy smile right from my misguided “friend”. off my face. While the country has made major The first time I heard one of these gains in the fight against HIV and tinfoil-hat gems was when a physics Aids, at 7.1 million we still have the lecturer of mine said that the HI-virus largest number of people in the world was created to exterminate black living with HIV, according to the people in South Africa, using the UNAids programme. South Africa saw nuclear programme that was later a conservative estimate of 270,000 decommissioned. He was not joking, new HIV infections and an estimated and I am not pulling your leg. It 110,000 lives lost in 2016 alone. made no sense, but my main concern It gets worse: a study conducted not was: why would someone with a far from where I live in KwaHlabisa in master’s degree in physics believe this KZN found that people are reluctant nonsense, let alone convey it to the to seek treatment even after they find world? out they are HIV-positive. Published The issue came around again on World Aids Day 2017, the study recently when a friend of mine by the Africa Health Institute shows (“friend” here used with its technical that there is a stigma attached to Facebook meaning – we hardly ever seeking treatment. If that is the case, speak) posted an article that suppos- imagine how easily the proliferation edly shows how the US created HIV in of unfounded conspiracies can further a lab to eradicate Africans and African hinder efforts to treat the illness. Americans. He did not seem to notice An updated variant of the conspiracy that HIV is, in fact, not at all racist – theory – found on Twitter this time which would make its creation one of – is the belief that a cure has already the worst ideas the US has ever had. been found but the people in charge Which is saying a lot. Dr Beetroot will not distribute it for economic If you’re kind, you could see his reasons: they stand to make more belief in this nonsense as coming from money from ARVs than from a cure. a good place; the undeniable history falling down the dingy rabbit hole So now you understand why I lose of racism in the US which has had that came with every click on Google’s my cool when “wokeness” on the many campaigns aimed at its black button. When I tried to do my job as a internet requires that I hold on to, or populace, from government-legislated science communicator and committed at least tolerate anti-science and ahis- racism, to the use of black men as the ultimate sin of correcting someone torical ideas. They have devastating guinea pigs, withholding treatment to on the internet, I discovered that effects that surpass the three extra test how bad syphilis can get before is the fastest way to be deemed not wrinkles in my forehead: they are they die – remember the Tuskegee “woke” enough – a blinding blow to my eroding the hard-won progress that syphilis experiment of 1932 to 1972? fragile ego. has been made both in treatment and But there are so many ridiculous South Africa has come a long way with educational programmes aimed aspects to this conspiracy theory, that since Manto “Dr Beetroot” Tshabalala- at preventing any further spread of I found it difficult to hold on to the Msimang refused millions of people the disease… while the smartest of us little sanity I have left when I kept life-saving ARVs because she believed continue to look for a cure. n

28 Down and Out ANNE SUSSKIND

A real Burke. Lewd man, genial mask

HE STRONG AND ADMIRABLE cates, the United Nations, Amnesty women reporters of the Austral- International, Médecins Sans ian Broadcasting Corporation Frontières, the Australian Council (ABC) and The Sydney Morning for International Development, the Herald, two venerable (and vul- Australian Medical Association, the nerable)T news institutions, after “slow- Human Rights Commission, Human ly and meticulously” considering many Rights Watch, the New Zealand allegations, have outed an Australian government, PNG’s supreme court, icon, the celebrity TV gardener Don PNG’s grand chief, Sir Michael Burke, accusing the star of “relentless Somare, multiple member nations of bullying and harassment” of women, the UN, Australian voters, and even spanning decades. on the front page of the right-wing He’s an unpleasant, lewd man, News Corp’s (Australian) The Daily doubly offensive because he’s hiding Telegraph. Quite a list. behind a genial mask. In more heart-warming news, a It started out sounding like it might bunch of ambulance drivers in a lovely be a witch-hunt (if America’s doing it, so part of the world, Hervey Bay, diverted should we). A very decent male friend their vehicle so that an elderly woman watching TV with me when the story Don Burke being transported to palliative care broke became flustered, commenting could see the beach for the last time, that this could spell the end of flirting run her hand through the cold water, and humorous banter “which women actions,” said Nicole Rogerson, CEO of and taste the salt. also enjoy, with, say, the butcher”. Autism Awareness Australia. “Diversity on the runway” has taken But the story broke on Monday, and Australia’s brutality to asylum a step forward with fashion shows by Tuesday, more than 200 women had seekers and its offshore detention parading people of all shapes, sizes and come forward, among them winner regime is touted by the government backgrounds, while Australian depart- of eight Olympic swimming medals, as a deterrent, a cruel-to-be-kind ment store, David Jones (owned by Susie O’Neill, who said that when approach to stop refugees from paying South Africa’s Woolworths) has models Burke came to film a segment prior to people-smugglers and then drowning in their 40s to 60s, and Target and the 2000 Olympics, standing in front of in leaky boats. But actually, says The Kmart have Down Syndrome children a painting of a flower, Burke had asked Guardian in a definitive comment in their catalogues, it is not surprising, “Is your c*** as big as that?” piece, it’s self-delusional because it’s since statistics show about 20% of A publisher said she’d been scarred the billions spent on an armada out people have some sort of disability, be as a young woman when Burke prom- at sea that stops the boats, the “ring of it physical, intellectual or learning. ised her a career break but ended up steel”, in Immigration Minister Peter A David and Goliath story saw self- pressuring her to spend the night in a Dutton’s words. represented peace activists who had “sad hotel room”. Another woman said The Guardian’s assessment: “To trespassed at the joint US defence both she and her husband had felt be seen to be ‘tough on borders’ has facility, Pine Gap, score a win against they needed to shower and scrub the outweighed all other considerations, highly paid government barristers house after he left, so vile was he – in pushing successive governments arguing for up to seven years’ impris- stark contrast to his TV persona. towards increasingly extreme posi- onment to please their American part- Everyone knew – his crews and tions, grotesque cruelties and risible ners. They were fined, mostly nominal management – but they turned a rhetorical contortions in insisting amounts in Australian terms. blind, if embarrassed, eye. Burke’s their actions are reasonable, legal, or It’s been speculated that Prince (self-diagnosed) claim that he has morally defensible… Failure, scandal, Harry’s engagement to Meghan Markle Aspergers has drawn the ire of the abuse and death has occurred under could undermine the Australian autism advocacy groups. “Own your the watch of both main parties.” Republican movement. Because it’s behaviour Don. Don’t you dare smear Dutton says he knows the truth of such a popular choice, people might be the ASD community with your vulgar the lies spread by detainees, advo- reluctant to divorce the monarchy. n

NOSEWEEK January 2018 29 Last Word HAROLD STRACHAN

Thukela. A miss is as good as a mile

HEN I WAS BUT WEE MY SCHOOL mates looked upon me with some puzzlement because I had not a single male in my entire family, neither brotherW nor cousin nor father nor un- cle to watch bloody rugby with me. Thus until I was fifteen-or-so when a certain lesbian lady name of Hilly who lived next door said to me one day Hey! If you’re fit enough to ride your bike over hill and dale you’re fit enough to climb the Drakensberg with us muscular maidens of the Hiking Club. Piece of cake, said I. We made an early start to clamber up the highest part of the escarpment, to he has concluded that the country- rats sleepily sunning their bellies. This the source of the Thukela at 10,000 feet side where the dreadful violence took is where we camp, says Chairlie, and – altitude is always in feet, as naviga- place is much like the gentle green he’s no longer said it than 100% stratus tion is in knots, see? Not rope and piton midlands of Scotland, with the peaceful cloud hits us, pouf! with 0% visibility. work this, it’s more like vertical hiking, Thukela meandering down its middle. Aha! says he. Time for navigation! and up there we expected to enter Picturesque, calm. Now he wants to We navigate all over the place with a terrain of wild crags and howling trace its entire colourful course from the magnetical compass. Who needs winds and rugged raptors adapted to 10,000 feet to the Indian Ocean. He has map reading? Common sense prevails. the furies of Nature Untamed. But we climbed Mont Blanc and knows about For two days we wander all about, didn’t, we found ourselves in a romantic mountains all right. So howsit? said blind. Hilly makes so bold as to suggest landscape as of Constable and Turner, Hilly. Piece of cake, said I. we’re going to starve pretty soon. And with a wondrous wispy waterfall and He turns out to be a cheery mid-aged as she says this tragic thing, woops! the an overview of everything lush and forever-youthful soul called Charles cloud disappears entirely, here before calm and cosy halfway to the sea. (pron Chairlie) with legs like great big us appears a half-dozen or so Basotho The memory of it was yet vivid in my coke bottles with long hairy socks and men sunning themselves like the ice- mind after 40-plus years, when the very mountain boots, also the most advanced rats, and there, there behind them the same Hilly emerged quite suddenly to camera tackle of the day and a compass Thukela, the wispy wonderful waterfall ask about my stamina in old age, and for navigation. Hilly and I straightway itself, like a delicate bridal veil! would I like another whack at the ’berg. put him in charge of the expedition. We smile, we converse. How? H- What part? said I. Well, once again the And we’re off! Up and away! sapiens will always find a way: bits of Thukela, said she, that’s why I thought In the great echoing clefts of the isiZulu, bits of fanagalo the pidgin lingo of you. Well now, said I, Jan Smuts used escarpment Chairlie starts to yodel. All of gold mining, much body language, to climb Table Mountain in his seven- mountain folks yodel, says he, because of some onomatopoeia imitative of nature. ties to show the world he was still the this echo effect. It occurs to me people of Chairlie explains how a moist stable air tough fighter of commando days; that’s the Himalaya seem to get along without mass coming off the Indian Ocean and 3½ thou at sea level, and if I can’t do 4 it, but let it pass. Tirol Tirol Tirol, du rising over the Drakensberg escarp- thou from a parked car to the top of the bist mein Heimatland, he sings, Weit ment expands and cools, that’s when escarpment at 10 thou, I’m ready for an über Berg und Tal das Alphorn schallt. the moisture condenses into stratus old folks’ flophouse. Holdrioholdrioholdrio Kukkuk! cloud with zero visibility. And that’s But why the Thukela? said I. Well Hilly and I have a go at the yodelling how the Thukela here gets its water. you see, said she, I’ve been approached and get only a sort of swooping Zulu Some silence, and a young lad in a by a certain historian from the Univer- hymn effect, but we’re a companionable balaclava says in good matric English: sity of Glasgow, who is enthused by trio as suddenly we find ourselves over You’ve missed the Thukela by 40km. the whole melodrama of the Anglo- the top, and there before our amazed This is the Orange River, it runs Zulu war. From early daguerreotypes gaze appears a delightful little tarn 2,000km through dismal highveld and and newspaper illustrations of the day with red-hot pokers all about and ice- semi-desert to the Atlantic. n

30 Smalls ads must be booked and paid for online. Book at: SMALLS www.noseweek.co.za

FOREIGN HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION LEGAL, INSURANCE & FINANCIAL Paris apartment Centrally located Mon- Vengadesan & Associates Accountants, torgueil (2nd) Reasonable rates, internet, corporate recoveries and forensic investi- TV, etc; [email protected];+33 62 034 gations. Call 031 306 2549. 6710. Jurgens Bekker Attorneys, Bedfordview Bordeaux Self-cater in historic, river-side Commercial and litigation. Call village in wine lands. From €73/night. Go 011 622 5472 or email to www.bordeauxwinelands.com or call [email protected] +33 97 518 8360. Alleged forgery? Questioned signatures? Document fraud? FDE / handwriting expert Cape Town; www.fdex.co.za LOCAL HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION Lawyer.co.za is a new website for members of the public with extensive Klein Bosheuwel Bishopscourt, Klaas- information about lawyers and the law sens Road, 200m from Kirstenbosch in SA. Research the law, or find a law Gardens Rycroft gate. Tranquil B & B in firm. Also available in Afrikaans at an acre of gardens. Call 021 762 2323; www.Prokureur.co.za www.kleinbosheuwel.co.za Arniston Stunning seafront home perched FOR SALE SERVICES on cliff top overlooking beach. Breath- taking position and panoramic sea Tent Pro cc sells new army tents (5x5m French lessons (Jhb) or translations views, 5 bedrooms, 3 en-suite, serviced; and 10x5m) and dome tents. Go to www. (countrywide). Sorbonne-degreed native 082 706 5902. tentpro.co.za or call Philip 082 537 2894. French speaker from Paris. For more Vaal Dam Waterfront 3 bedroom cottage Plastic pallets bought & sold. (New in- information call 071 356 8279; or email fully furnished en suite with separate bar. ternational legislation for exporting on [email protected] Call Eddie 083 314 1042. wooden pallets! ISPM15); FOOD & LEISURE Umkomaas B&B on the golf course, by the www.premierpallets.co.za or 083 756 6897. sea; www.stroke-one-inn.com; Tinus & Gabriel de Jongh paintings Want to run a marathon? Contact Pent- Cathy: 072 221 9699. bought, sold and valued for estates and house Travel. Call Marie 021 976 8110. insurance; 021 686 4141; [email protected]; PERSONAL LOCAL PROPERTY FOR SALE www.tinusdejongh.co.za Desperately poor school ‘learners’ need Nosing around for property in Lange- your monetary support. Every Rand baan or the West Coast? Call Melanie WANTED counts;www.asf.org.za Mouton-Creugnet 079 378 0000 or email Please donate to organisations, such as [email protected] Your unwanted frearms, left from de- www.outa.co.za, that fight against abuse of Want to rent-buy-or-sell your home in ceased estates or simply a bother to keep? taxpayers’ money. Somerset West (Cape) Contact Diane at [email protected] is looking for a Meet upmarket high calibre singles Call Seeff Properties by email di.fullard@gmail. variety of weapons to add to a forensic col- Karin on 082 679 8861 or com or call 082 331 8227. lection used for research. www.execumatch.co.za

SMALLS ADS The deadline is the 24th of the month, two months prior to IT’S EASY TO SUBSCRIBE publication. Ads are prepaid at R200 plus VAT for up to 15 words, thereafter Never miss an issue...Free delivery...Enjoy big savings R15 per word plus VAT. Please note that multiple (long-term bookings) are now Call available online. ONLINE Subscribe at PHONE 021 686 0570 www.noseweek.co.za or with your credit card or fax BOXED ADS email [email protected] 021 686 0573 or 0866 773 650 Boxed ads are 6cm (1 column) wide, and are charged at R900 for the first 3cm and R250 per additional cm (length) plus VAT. SUBSCRIBE TO PRINT EDITION FOR R410 (12 ISSUES); ONLINE EDITION FOR Payment is due within 30 days of invoicing. R298 OR COMBINED PRINT AND ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION FOR JUST R510! Please contact [email protected] to book or phone 021 686 0570. PLEASE NOTE: Cheques are no longer accepted in payment. DISCLAIMER Although Noseweek does reject obviously questionable ads, it Apart from having SA’s top investigative magazine delivered to your door, you could can’t run checks on every ad that appears in the magazine. The also win one of five Ken Forrester wine packs. Subscribe now and stand in line to score. magazine doesn’t endorse the products or services advertised and readers are urged to exercise normal caution when doing CONGRATULATIONS TO JANUARY WINNERS: Mr Ivan Esra, Highlands North; Mr AM Limbada, Featherbrook; Steven McCarthy, business with advertisers. Durbanville; Ms JL Theron, Tecoma; Mr Ken Trueman, Onrus River

NOSEWEEK January 2018 31