Peet Viljoen denies scamming JHB Metro out of 27 properties

Businessman Peet Viljoen – who is married to Real Housewives van Pretoria (RHOPTA) cast member Mel Viljoen – is in more hot water with the law.

According to Netwerk24, Tammy Taylor Nails CEO is denying allegations and his involvement in the illegal sale and transfer of tens of millions of rands of state property from the Johannesburg metro.

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VILJOEN AND SIX OTHERS CHARGED FOR SWINDLING THE JOHANNESBURG METRO

The publication reports that Viljoen is facing a total of 347 corruption charges, 297 of those charges are for fraud and forgery. He reportedly appeared in court on Monday, 14 November, for some of these charges.

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At the centre of the charges is a case dating back to 2010 when Viljoen was still a lawyer. Viljoen and six others allegedly opened a front company called Eildoug Investments which they reportedly used to swindle the Johannesburg metro of 27 properties.

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Their modus operandi allegedly involved transferring the properties into their company — which was not registered with South African Insolvency Service (SARS) — before they transfered it to the potential buyers.

Edwin Maringa, who was a lawyer, was reportedly in charge of the operations of the fake company, while Viljoen and a businessman named Wiets Nell posed as real estate agents.

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Others involved included Dorah Madisha, who worked for the Johannesburg metro; Edmunda Mkhetwa Sibisi, a deputy registrar in the deeds office of the Department of Land Affairs; and Ronel van Vuuren, who was employed by the Tammy Taylor Nails CEO.

As a result of the charges, the Citizen reports that Viljoen was struck off the roll as a lawyer in 2011.

27 PROPERTIES SOLD

According to Netwerk24, Viljoen and crew swindled the metro out of 27 properties.

Money was allegedly paid into Peet Viljoen Incorporated’s account and of the money transfered, over R25 million remained in the account.

In addition, Maringa was allegedly paid more than R10 million, Nell received more than R3 million and van Vuuren was paid R60 000.

PEET VILJOEN DENIES THE ALLEGATIONS

However, Viljoen has vehemently denied being a part of this ploy.

The entrepreneur has accused the magistrate, prosecutor, investigating officer and his co-accused of conspiring against him.

“I was just the correspondent transfer attorney. I had no idea what the value of the properties were. Until today, the state has not been able to provide me with the ‘falsified documents’ so that I can enforce my constitutional rights. The proceedings so far have been irregular,” he said.

THREE ACCUSSED PLEAD GUILTY

Further reports state that Bongani Makhanya, who was a Sars imployee responsible for issuing the exemption certificates for R50 each; Virginia Mahlangu, who would bribe a Sars employee to obtain transfer rights certificates; and Annalene van der Berg, a former conveyancing typist of Viljoen’s, all pleaded guilty.

In addition, they were each sentenced to five years in prison.