The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has downplayed the Special Tribunal ruling forcing it to return two Aston Martins, two Ferraris, and a Rolls-Royce seized during a simultaneous raid in alleged R2bn Tembisa Hospital looting kingpin Hangwani Maumela’s luxury property in Sandton and a Mpumalanga luxury car dealership.

IoL reports that former Special Tribunal president Judge Margaret Victor on 30 January ordered that the five supercars be released to the Mpumalanga dealership Omar’s Motor Den, subject to the conditions.

IoL reports that the vehicles were among assets worth nearly R900m seized following raids in Sandhurst and Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, in October last year after an interim order issued by the tribunal to preserve the assets allegedly unlawfully and irregularly paid out by Tembisa Hospital.

In her judgment, Victor said the release of the vehicles is subject to Omar’s Motor Den putting up security to the satisfaction of the curator bonis and the security shall be the equivalent of each vehicle’s market value.

‘The market value of the vehicles shall be determined by an independent third party appointed by the curator bonis in order to calculate the amount of security to be put up,’ reads the judgment.

Omar’s Motor Den had approached the tribunal to urge it to carefully examine the seizure of the luxury vehicles as the SIU did not disclose that there were eNaTIS certificates in the unit’s possession at the time, which showed the dealership was the owner.

Full IoL report