Markus Jooste's horses are not registered with authority‚ so cannot race in Durban July

The Public Servants Association is withdrawing its protest threat after receiving an assurance that Markus Jooste's horses are not running in this weekend's Durban July - simultaneously discovering that none of his horses are currently registered.

The union had sent letters to the regulating body‚ the National Horseracing Authority‚ and the race's main sponsor last week‚ demanding the exclusion of the former Steinhoff CEO's horses in the event‚ "which could earn him millions should horses registered in his colours partake in the race".

Jooste resigned in December 2017 after questions were asked about the accounting practises at the retail giant. The union said in a statement that public servants’ pensions were invested in Steinhoff through the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) on behalf of Government Employees’ Pension Fund (GEPF).

"In response to the PSA’s demand‚ both Vodacom and NHRA wrote to the PSA and confirmed that no horses under Jooste’s colours are currently registered with the NHRA and therefore his horses will not be participating in the Vodacom Durban July.

"Given the assurance from Vodacom and NHRA‚ the PSA will call off its intended protest march at the Durban July horse race."

In March‚ TimesLIVE reported that 23 racehorses in the stable of the former Steinhoff boss were being sold in Cape Town.

Jooste was previously reported to have more than 200 racehorses.