State land frozen as part of SIU fraud probe
The Asset Forfeiture Unit has been granted a preservation order to freeze an agricultural holding and a farm in Gauteng.
The land, which is valued at R53 million, is the subject of an investigation by the SIU into the fraudulent transfer of government land to private entities and individuals.
The National Prosecuting Authority said a similar preservation order was obtained last September in the High Court, bringing to the total value of R144 million, bringing the total value of properties under scrutiny to R197 million rand.
NPA Gauteng spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the current preservation order prevents these individuals and entities from dealing in any manner with the properties in question.
She said the current order prohibits the individuals and private entities “from dealing in any manner with Holding 34 Beverley Agricultural Holdings and Portion 296 of the Farm Zuurfontein 33”.
Mahanjana said the order follows an investigation by the SIU that revealed that individuals and private entities, jointly and severally, and with a common purpose, defrauded the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform and the respective deeds registries in Vryburg, Johannesburg and Pretoria.
This is by fraudulently transferring government property to individuals and private entities for their personal benefit.
Mahanjana said all the evidence from the SIU “pointing to criminal conduct” was referred to the NPA and the Hawks for further investigation.
ALSO READ
