|
Weapons built luxury house |
| Publication |
City Press |
| Date | 2011-07-03 |
| Reporter | Julian Rademeyer, Paddy Harper |
| Web Link | www.citypress.co.za |
Arms deal playboy Fana
Hlongwane lives in a mansion in Joburg's exclusive Hyde Park. A Hlongwane
company acquired it two years after he was hired to “promote the
reputation and sale” of Hawk and Gripen aircraft to South Africa on behalf
of international arms manufacturers BAE and Saab.
The 4000 square metre property, which was purchased in December 2000 for
R5.9 million by Tsebe Properties, was given a municipal valuation in 2007 of
R18.2 million.
It is said to boast its own cinema, three dining-rooms, a bedroom the “size
of a medium house”, landscaped rose gardens and a classy wine collection.
The house was once described as a playboy mansion on a TV blog by a woman
who claimed to know Hlongwane – referring to Playboy boss Hugh Hefner’s TV
show Girls of the Playboy Mansion.
Hlongwane served as the late defence minister Joe Modise’s adviser from 1995
to 1998 before moving on to the far more lucrative role of arms deal fixer.
It was at this time, according to documents made public recently, that he
began receiving payments believed to have totalled at least R200 million
through third-party entities.
Tsebe Properties was also linked to the arms deal. The UK’s Guardian
newspaper reported in 2007 that the company was a shareholder of Osprey
Aviation, a South African firm it identified as BAE’s primary agent in the
country. One of the founding directors of Tsebe Properties was Osprey’s
Richard Charter, formerly the chairperson of BAE Systems SA.
Britain’s Serious Fraud Office believed Charter was BAE’s main agent in SA
and received more than R300 million in commissions through different
entities.
He died in a canoeing accident on the Orange River in 2004.
A year after the Hyde Park property was purchased, Hlongwane acquired,
through a shelf company, a luxury beach house in Durban’s exclusive Zimbali
coastal resort where properties easily fetch between R10 million and R20
million. At the time it cost R4.83 million.
The two-storey, five-bedroomed house was built in the indigenous forest in
the most expensive part of the estate.
Hlongwane’s neighbours included business mogul Mzi Khumalo and former
justice minister Penuell Maduna, while supermodel Naomi Campbell spent time
in the house across the street from Hlongwane last year.
Workers on the estate told City Press Hlongwane only used the house during
the holiday season and for big events on the Durban social calendar.
Hlongwane also boasted a personal fleet of luxury cars said to include a
Lamborghini Murcielago, a Bentley Azure, two Ferraris and a Porsche Cayenne.
He was described as enjoying a “rap star-like lifestyle” of beautiful woman,
cigars and champagne.
Hlongwane’s Ngwane Defence and associated companies were still actively
involved in the arms trade.
One of them, Truvelo, recently made headlines over the sale of sniper rifles
to Libya.
Hlongwane didn’t respond to messages left for him this week.
- City Press
With acknowledgements to Julian Rademeyer, Paddy Harper and City Press.
Who said crime
doesn't pay?
Unlike Schabir Shaik, Hlongwane never made enemies with the ruling elite.
He is a Ukraine trained attorney age 53 who got a first class pass in one
subject called Walk Softly and Carry a Big Stick.
If the stick ain't big enough, give half the splodge to the national
director of public prosecutions.
It's still worth about R200 million at current monetary values.