Property Auctioneer dishes deets: Gupta mansions to go under the hammer after years of legal wrangling
Dubbed the 'Saxonwold Shabeen', the infamous homes tied to state capture will finally go under the hammer this week.
Park Village Auctions opened the Saxonwold properties up to the media on 23 June 2025 ahead of the auction next month. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
Graham van Niekerk, National Operations Manager at Park Village Auctions, speaks to John Maytham about the upcoming sale of the Gupta Saxonwold properties.
Listen below
After years of legal battles, three upmarket Johannesburg properties, which became playfully known as 'The Saxonwold Shabeen', will go under the hammer this week.
The homes in the city's Northern Suburbs served as the backdrop for much of the Zondo Commission's inquiry into state capture, having been the former residences of members of the Gupta family.
The auctioneers tasked with selling them say it’s shaping up to be a particularly interesting process.
With the homes recently opened to the media, there’s been no shortage of public curiosity, but what kind of buyers are showing interest, and what makes this sale unique?
"It consists of three individual properties in Saxonwold Drive in Johannesburg."
Graham van Niekerk, National Operations Manager - Park Village Auctions
Van Niekerk explains that it’s been quite some time since the Guptas last occupied the properties, adding that securing permission to auction the homes took considerable time.
"We found them in a relatively poor state, there was not much we could do other than to tidy up and make sure that we had tidied up the gardens and made sure it was presentable."
Graham van Niekerk, National Operations Manager - Park Village Auctions
Each property will be sold as an individual lot, and Van Niekerk says the three properties are very different in style and contents.
"The contents of each property will be auctioned seperately. We had figured that whoever buys the property may not necessarily want the contents."
Graham van Niekerk, National Operations Manager - Park Village Auctions
But if potential buyers were hoping to capitalise on the scandal linked to the property's former residents, they'll be disappointed explains Van Niekerk.
"All these properties have been zoned residential one, which means you cannot purchase them in order to open a B&B or a hotel."
Graham van Niekerk, National Operations Manager - Park Village Auctions
"We are just as excited as everybody else to see what we invite to this auction."
Graham van Niekerk, National Operations Manager - Park Village Auctions
The question everyone is asking is how many 'looky-loos' will show up to take a gander at the Guptas' former compound - and how many will be in the market to buy.
Scroll up to audio player to hear more about the Gupta homes going under the hammer