SIU unfazed by ruling ordering return of supercars believed to belong to Hangwani Maumela

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said a ruling ordering the return of supercars believed to belong to corruption-accused Hangwani Maumela is not a blow.

The Special Tribunal handed down an order that vehicles that were attached during a raid at a dealership in Witbank should be returned.

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In September, the SIU obtained a preservation order to seize six supercars from the Omar dealership that’s been linked to Maumela and his alleged syndicate.

Maumela is accused of syphoning over R800 million in tenders at the Tembisa Hospital.

In October, three Lamborghinis were seized during a raid at his lavish Sandton home.

The SIU was ordered to return three Aston Martins, one Rolls Royce and two Ferraris that were seized from the Omar dealership in Witbank, which investigators believe is linked to Maumela.

However, it is not an outright win for Maumela and his alleged syndicate, as the tribunal has ordered the Omar dealership to put up security to the value equivalent of each vehicle, pending the outcome of a court case where the SIU is challenging the lawfulness of a Tembisa Hospital tender awarded to Maumela.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said, “For us, it’s an advantage in the sense that if we are going to give back the cars and they are going to be replaced by immovable properties and money, therefore we will not have something that will depreciate in our hands, therefore they can have the cars and we can have money and immovable property which we can use as guarantee.”

The SIU believes Maumela used the dealership as a proxy, and the supercars, while not registered under his name, belong to him.