Zuma's luxury wheels go for a song at auction

Khulubuse Zuma's three luxury cars and household goods brought in about R160000 towards the R10-million owed to Protea Coin Security.

The confiscated BMW cars and a gigantic flat screen television, a pair of Anthem amplifiers, a dining-room table, chairs, bar stools, microwave oven, washing machine and garden table set went under the hammer at the sheriff's office in Verulam, north of Durban, yesterday.

President Jacob Zuma's nephew's moveable assets from his Umhlanga home were confiscated by the sheriff after an execution order brought by Protea Coin.

The security firm is trying to recover the millions owed to it by Aurora Empowerment Systems, the beleaguered mining group directed by Zuma and Nelson Mandela's grandson, Zondwa Mandela.

Because Aurora is under liquidation, the duo, who signed surety in 2010, are liable for its debts, including the money owed to Protea Coin for providing security at the Grootvlei mine in Springs.

Mandela's moveable assets have not yet been confiscated.

Protea Coin attorney Nic Viviers declined to comment on the meagre amount raised.

Last week, Viviers said the security firm did not expect the full judgment debt to be recovered from the proceeds of the sale.

Protea Coin can now apply for an execution order for Zuma's immovable property, including his Umhlanga home, to be sold.

It can then apply for a sequestration order, which could leave Zuma insolvent.

Yesterday's auction lasted less than an hour, with bidders getting the goods at a "steal".

The new owner of Zuma's BMW 7 series armoured car, Waseem Moosa, was ecstatic that he had paid R88000 for the nine-year-old luxury vehicle.

"I am the proud owner of a BMW but not just any BMW. It is President Jacob Zuma's nephew's BMW. Who wouldn't be proud to own such a vehicle?" he said.

The BMW 5 series was sold for R14700, whereas the BMW 3 series went under the hammer for R15500.

The 2009 model Maserati, which Zuma splashed out on last year for his fiancée, Fikiswe Dlamini, was not confiscated as it was not attached to his residential property.

The amplifiers raised R23300, the television set R2500, while an HP printer was sold for a mere R50.

KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Natasha Ramkisson said sheriff auctions are entirely without reserves.

"The aim is to obtain the highest amount to recover the debt."

Bidders immediately raised their paddles when the sheriff opened bids for the vehicles at R5000, but burst into laughter when he offered the printer for R10.

Zuma, who enjoys a lavish lifestyle, which includes expensive cognac and Cuban cigars and frequenting Durban's five-star Oyster Box Hotel, paraded his Yamaha quad bike for photographers at the president's wedding in Nkandla at the weekend.

More than 700 miners at Aurora's mines in Grootvlei and Orkney in North West, who have not been paid for two years, are being fed by the Pietermaritzburg-based aid organisation, Gift of the Givers.

Union bosses are putting pressure on liquidators to fast-track civil charges against Aurora's directors.

Trade union Solidarity's Gideon du Plessis said though the union was happy that Zuma and Mandela would feel the pinch from the execution order, the workers would still not receive the estimated R4.5-million in wages owed to them.

Last week, Gold One and Goliath Gold said they had put in a bid for parts of the Grootvlei operations for R70-million.