Durban — The woes of Durban businessman Schabir Shaik, who was recently convicted of fraud and corruption, worsened yesterday when his luxury beachfront flat in Durban was severely damaged by fire.

Shaik said police were investigating a case of arson. “The penthouse has been sealed for a criminal investigation,” he said.

Shaik and his wife Zuleika were forced to evacuate their flat in Yarningdale after the fire broke out just after 2am yesterday morning.

Police spokeswoman Supt Phindile Radebe reported that two bedrooms were damaged with the rest of the flat suffering smoke and heat damage. “The damage to the house is estimated at approximately R2m,” she said.

The fire comes less than a week after the flat was raided as part of the swoop by the National Prosecuting Authority on homes belonging to former deputy president Jacob Zuma and his colleagues and friends.

Shaik, who was Zuma’s financial adviser, was earlier this year found guilty of two counts of corruption and one of fraud.

Judge Hilary Squires said there was a “generally corrupt” relationship between the businessman and Zuma and found that Shaik solicited a bribe for Zuma from French arms firm Thomson-CSF as protection against investigation in the arms deal saga.

Zuma’s subsequent prosecution was the consequence of Shaik’s conviction and has precipitated one of the largest political crises in SA since democracy.

eThekwini fire division commander Trevor Stevens said no-one was injured in the fire and the caretakers of the building evacuated the Yarningdale residents as well as the residents in the upper half of the neighbouring blocks of flats.

“It is normal procedure to evacuate everyone,” said Stevens.

Shaik’s deadline to petition the president of the Supreme Court of Appeal for leave to appeal the first corruption charge expires tomorrow.

Last month Squires granted the businessman leave to appeal the second corruption charge and the fraud charge relating to the illegal write-off of the payments to Zuma, but not the resultant sentencing.

Should Shaik’s petition fail, he may find himself serving out the 15-year jail sentence for the “generally corrupt” relationship, while his appeals on the other elements of his conviction and sentencing are considered through the judicial system.

With acknowledgements to Nicola Jenvey, Sapa and the Business Day.