Court bid to stop the great KZN land heist

The KwaZulu-Natal department of public works has turned to the Durban High Court to stop further sales or development of prime government real estate worth millions which was sold in secret to a string of businesses‚ among them private school giant Curro Holdings.

The court on Wednesday granted a bid by the department to prevent the further sale or development of 11 properties which were sold on the quiet by unscrupulous officials and lawyers while they pursue permanent relief.

The relief‚ the department says‚ is the rectification of the deeds to reflect the state as the true owners.

The three properties‚ bought by Curro Holdings in March this year‚ are worth over R24-million.

In an affidavit deposed by Public Works official Mirriam Linda‚ she reveals how the state department came to know that their land had been “stolen”.

“After receiving certain information from the eThekwini Municipality relating to the existence of fraudulent rates clearance certificates‚ I performed a deed search which revealed that all three properties had been purportedly transferred to the first respondent [Curro] by registered deed.”

Records revealed that the three properties had on the same day been shifted three times‚ eventually landing in the hands of Curro Holdings.

The properties were sold to one Rebecca Ann Prosser for just over R6-million‚ then on to company Nulane Investments 399 for R11.5-million and finally on to Curro who paid over R24-million. The involvement of the other parties in the sale of the properties was not explained in the papers.

Linda said the transfers were done using the forged signature of a public works official who left the department in 2012.

“Besides the fact that the powers of attorney are fraudulent there are a number of other circumstances presently being investigated by the police which suggests that a syndicate is behind these transfers.”

“I am advised that it is unwise and unnecessary at this stage to place before this honourable court suspicions which had not yet been confirmed but are presently being investigated. They point to criminal conduct of persons who may or may not be conveyancers involved in the transfer of properties.”

Curro didn't immediately respond.