Auction blues for Zuma jnr

06 November 2012 - 02:08 By CANAAN MDLETSHE
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Edward Zuma and his bride, Phumelele Shange, celebrate at their traditional wedding last year Picture: JACKIE CLAUSEN
Edward Zuma and his bride, Phumelele Shange, celebrate at their traditional wedding last year Picture: JACKIE CLAUSEN

A BMW X5 belonging to President Jacob Zuma's son Edward is one of the assets expected to go under the hammer tomorrow morning should he fail to settle the R1-million debt he incurred during his lavish wedding last year.

The auction takes place at 10am at the sheriff's office in Durban North's Umgeni Road.

Zuma's wedding to Phumelele Shange last year was a R2.5-million A-list affair, with 500 guests hosted at Tala Game Reserve near Camperdown.

It was attended by several high-profile South Africans including Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, then national police commissioner Bheki Cele and singer Yvonne Chaka-Chaka.

It was later aired on SABC3's Top Billing. But in January, Durban wedding planner Paul Mann, owner of Functions for Africa, filed papers in the Durban High Court seeking a court order for Edward, 35, to pay the outstanding amount of R1.5-million after paying a R1-million deposit.

Mann said Edward had told him he would secure foreign funding to pay for the wedding. But after the wedding, Edward allegedly stopped taking his calls.

After obtaining judgment and having his goods attached, Edward paid Mann R400000, but failed to keep his promise of settling the balance in instalments of R80000 a month.

His assets were attached again in May after Mann filed papers demanding the balance plus interest at 15.5% a year. Mann went to court again following several broken promises to pay him.

Sheriff of the court Alan Murugan was not available for comment yesterday and did not respond to a text message sent to his cellphone . An employee at the sheriff's office refused to comment on the assets to be auctioned off, but confirmed bidding will start at 10am .

But a Durban man who regularly attends auctions of assets of high-profile people - and was also among those who bought assets owned by Zuma's nephew, Khulubuse, in April - said Edward's assets to go under the hammer included a black BMW X5, two double-door fridges, two LCD TV sets, two three-piece lounge suites, an amplifier with five speakers, two DVD players, bar stools, camp chairs, a DStv decoder, two microwave ovens, a dining room table and six chairs.

Edward could not be reached for comment yesterday.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now