The East London Yazbek family has settled their legal battle over family patriarch Mark Yazbek’s will – agreeing to give younger son Luke Yazbek (45) a settlement of R3.5m.

A Daily Dispatch report says Luke’s chunk out of the R30m estate will see him drop his challenge to his father’s April 2017 last will and testament, in which Yazbek senior left everything he owned to his wife Juliana, Luke’s mother.

Yazbek senior – formerly a prominent attorney in East London – changed his will shortly before his death in June 2017, leaving everything he owned, including his valuable farms in the Komga district, to his wife.

Luke wanted the Eastern Cape High Court (Makhanda) to have the will declared null and void.

Last year, Judge Murray Lowe ordered Juliana to pay Luke monthly maintenance amounting to R11 000 pending the outcome of his challenge to the will.

This week, members agreed to a High Court settlement in terms of which Luke would be given R3.5m, which was to end all litigation between the parties.

Judge Thami Beshe ordered that the Land Cruiser vehicle used by Luke on the farm should become his property.

In turn, Luke would drop his challenge to the will and agree to the maintenance order being discharged. Juliana would drop two cases she had against Luke for recovery of a loan and to vary the maintenance order.

Luke undertook to vacate the farm within 30 days of receiving the R3.5m and withdraw his CCMA challenge to his dismissal as farm manager.

Full Daily Dispatch report