admin
Bizos this week filed his intention to defend allegations that he had hijacked two companies belonging to the former president.
He filed his intention on Tuesday — nine days after Mandela’s daughters Makaziwe and Zenani made damning claims against him in the Johannesburg High Court on April 8.
Bizos, Bally Chuene and Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale faced a default judgment if they failed to file their intention to defend on time.
On Wednesday, Lisa Thomas of the law firm Norton Rose, which acts on behalf of the three, said: “We served our clients’ notice of intention to oppose on April 23.”
Thomas said they would file their answering affidavits next month. Once the replying papers were filed, a trial date would be set so that argument could be heard.
Related Stories…
- War over Mandela’s millions
- Feud over Mandela’s firms deepens
- Rift between Mandela family, Bizos deepens
Mandela’s daughters have asked the court to issue an order instructing Bizos, Chuene and Sexwale to withdraw their directorships in Harmonieux Investment Holdings and Magnifique Investment Holdings. They claimed that they — through their attorney Ismail Ayob — made numerous written attempts in August last year to the three to ask them to resign, but they allegedly refused.
Makaziwe said in her affidavit that she and Zenani were legally appointed directors of Harmonieux and Magnifique on May 5, 2005, and that Bizos, Chuene and Sexwale had nothing to show as proof of their appointments.
She also said she was never part of a meeting called by Mandela where an agreement was reached to appoint the three as directors in these two companies. Bizos, prior to filing his intention to defend the civil claim, told The Star that Makaziwe wanted R12 million to be handed to her for no specific reason.
He said Makaziwe wanted to distribute the money to the members of the Mandela family, and that that was contrary to the provisions of the trust. — The Star.
Online Reporter