SIU recovers R53 million worth of stolen government land

• Published date: 07 May 2024
• Publication title: Mail & Guardian: Web Edition Articles (Johannesburg, South Africa)

The investigation focused on the fraud and corruption committed from January 2008 to February 2022, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said

"As part of the investigation, numerous affidavits were obtained by the SIU from the department of rural development and land reform and [the] deeds registry staff members, external witnesses and/or transferring attorneys," he said.

The SIU said its investigation found that individuals and privately-owned entities defrauded the rural development and land reform department and the deeds registries in Vryburg, Johannesburg and Pretoria by transferring government-owned property to people and private entities for their personal benefit.

RIC Development bought more than 2 000 hectares of land in Zuurfontein, Gauteng, and developed it without knowing it had been stolen, Kganyago said

He added that it must be transferred to Gauteng's infrastructure development department, the original title deed owner, and R12 million should be paid to the department.

The forfeiture order broke down the R53 million to R12 million held through a bank guarantee by the alleged fraudulent companies, while...