A 51-year-old man appeared at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court facing multiple charges linked to the alleged fraudulent sale of government-owned land valued at more than R113 million.
Andrew Molifi made his first court appearance on Friday, March 12, 2026, following his arrest a day earlier at his home in Evaton. He faces 34 counts of fraud, alternatively theft, related to the alleged unlawful sale of state-owned property.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Molifi is accused of fraudulently selling 777 erven in West Township, also known as Beverly Hills, which belongs to the Department of Human Settlements in the Emfuleni Municipality. The alleged scheme is said to have taken place from 2016 until his arrest in March 2026.
Mahanjana said police investigations revealed that Molifi marketed and sold the land to unsuspecting buyers without having the legal authority to do so. It is alleged that he sold single stands for R22,000 and double stands for R44,000, with buyers making payments to his company.
“After receiving payment, Molifi allegedly issued purchasers with acknowledgement letters stating that their title deeds were being processed, giving the impression that the transactions were legitimate,” said Mahanjana.
Mahanjana said the alleged scheme came to light when the department discovered that construction activities had begun on the land. Investigations revealed that numerous individuals had already occupied or begun developing stands they believed they had legally purchased.
In 2019, the department took the occupants of the land to court, where they were ordered to make representations to the department regarding their occupation of the property.
However, despite the court order, it is alleged that Molifi continued selling the land to other unsuspecting buyers.
Following the discovery of the alleged scheme, the department opened a criminal case against Molifi, leading to his subsequent arrest.
During his court appearance, Molifi’s legal representative challenged the jurisdiction of the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, arguing that the case should instead be heard at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
However, the State opposed the argument and, after hearing submissions from both sides, the court ruled that the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court does have jurisdiction to hear the matter.
The case has been postponed to March 24, 2026, for an opposed bail application.
IOL News
Get your news on the go. Download the latest IOL App for Android and IOS now.
Sinenhlanhla Masilela
iol.co.za
