Majali did not own his house - report

2011-01-02 10:30

Johannesburg - Controversial businessman Sandile Majali did not own the house in Sandown, Sandton, he had put up for security when released on bail, the City Press reported on Sunday.

The newspaper reported that it had established that Majali did not own the house where he and his son Phillip have been living for the past few years.

Majali had put up the house as security when he was released on bail at the end of October following his arrest for allegedly hijacking mining company, Kalahari Resources.

Prosecutor Shaun Abrahams confirmed to the City Press that Majali put up the property at Adrienne Street, Sandown, as security.

This was after he claimed he could not afford to pay a large bail amount and negotiated with the State to pay R10 000 if he put up a property as security.

Majali, 48, was found dead on December 26 in his room at the Sandton Quatermain Hotel in Johannesburg, where he had been staying.

Serious financial trouble

City Press reported that at the time of his death Majali did not own any property under his name, was in "serious" financial trouble and facing at least three criminal probes in the new year.

Majali came into the public eye following his role in the so-called Oilgate saga that saw him donate R11m of PetroSA's funds to the ANC ahead of the 2004 elections.

He was arrested in October 2010 on fraud charges and released on bail after directorship of Kalahari Resources was changed from Brian Amos Mashile and his sister Daphne Mashile-Nkosi to a group of eight people, including Majali.

The two siblings had to bring an urgent interdict before the South Gauteng High Court to get themselves reinstated as directors of the company.

Majali was due to appear in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on January 18.

His three co-accused Stephan Khoza, Haralambos Sferopoulous and Elvis Bongani Ndala, recently appeared in court over their mental fitness to stand trial.

- SAPA