The Special Tribunal has ordered the return of five luxury vehicles seized during raids linked to the SIU’s investigation into alleged looting at Tembisa Hospital. The cars include two Aston Martins, two Ferraris and a Rolls-Royce taken during a simultaneous operation at a Sandton property and a luxury car dealership in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga.

Last Friday, former Special Tribunal president Judge Margaret Victor ruled that the vehicles must be released to Omar’s Motor Den, a Mpumalanga dealership, subject to conditions set by the tribunal.

Strict Conditions Attached to the Return

Judge Victor said the vehicles can only be released if the dealership provides security equal to each car’s market value. The market value must be determined by an independent third party appointed by the curator bonis.

If the dealership wants to sell any of the vehicles, it must first get agreement from the curator bonis. The curator must consider factors like the purchase price, buyer details and who the vehicle will be sold to. The vehicles must also be insured to the curator’s satisfaction.

Why the Dealership Challenged the Seizure

Omar’s Motor Den approached the tribunal arguing that eNaTIS certificates showed it was the owner of the vehicles. The dealership said the SIU did not disclose these certificates when the cars were seized.

The SIU argued that the transactions that moved the cars to the dealership were suspicious, pointing to steep discounts and questions around who actually owned or controlled the entities linked to the vehicles.

SIU Says its Case is Still on Track

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the ruling does not change the unit’s mandate. He said the return is temporary and conditional, with the cars or their value still under the control of the curator bonis. The SIU says it will continue investigations and pursue main forfeiture proceedings linked to the broader Tembisa Hospital probe.