Buyanga scrambles to bloc Rolls-Royce auction

SOUTH AFRICA – Controversial Zimbabwean property tycoon Frank Buyanga rushed to the courts last week to stop the South African Revenue Service (SARS) auctioning his US$320,000 Rolls-Royce.

Buyanga’s Rolls-Royce had been locked up at the Sunnyside Police Station in Pretoria since it was impounded in December 2010 on its way to Zimbabwe.

Buyanga says in court documents his car was “hijacked” by police. Police at the time claimed the vehicle was part of an ongoing investigation. They suspected it was stolen, but it was later proved that Buyanga indeed owned the vehicle.

Police in Hampshire in the UK, where Buyanga bought it, said in documents submitted in court that the vehicle was never part of any of their investigations, nor was it suspected to be stolen. Buyanga submitted ownership papers, but the South Gauteng High Court dismissed his application.

Nardus Grove Attorneys, the law firm representing Buyanga, wasted no time in filing a notice of leave to appeal the ruling.

“Despite allegations of fraud and syndicates, no charges were officially levelled against the applicant or Mr Frank Buyanga – despite all these years,” Grove said in court documents.

Nevertheless, Buyanga’s car was still for sale and attracted a bid of R1.2 million.

Sars spokesperson Marika Muller could not confirm who had bought any of the cars.

“The assets … included a number of vehicles belonging to taxpayers who had committed a variety of customs offences – ranging from under-declaring the value of the vehicles and not paying import duties to importing a car declared as being for export out of South Africa [and thus not paying duties], but instead keeping the vehicle in South Africa.”

Muller said the sale took the form of a tender process, with interested parties making written bids in sealed envelopes. The bid box was opened on Wednesday by the sheriff of the high court and the bids were currently being reviewed.

“Successful bidders will be subjected to a full range of financial checks, including but not limited to Financial Intelligence Centre Act processes and tax-compliance checks,” she said.

Muller said that although the process remained under way, Sars expected to collect more than R15 million from the auction of several other impounded vehicles. City Press