Zimbabwe govt property in Cape Town sold for R3.7 million

A property in Cape Town that belonged to the Zimbabwean government was auctioned off for R3.76 million to a private individual, Arthur Tsimitakopoulos, on Monday to cover a legal costs order it owed AfriForum over that country's land reform programme.

"This was the first time in history that a decision of a human rights tribunal in Africa led to the sale of a property of the country that has been guilty of human rights abuses," The South African lobby group said.

AfriForum lawyer, Advocate Willie Spies, told News24 the Zimbabwean embassy tried to stop the 10:00 auction with a promise that it was paying the amount of just under R1 million it owed.

"But we hadn't received anything in our trust," said Spies.

The auction of the three-bedroom, three bathroom, yellow painted house near the famous Kenilworth racecourse went ahead on the sidewalk of 28 Salisbury avenue, with a crowd watching the spectacle.

Deputy sheriff of the Wynberg North court Morne van der Vyver brought down the hammer at R3 760 000.