Three top businessmen Brian Bucham, John Millar and Warren Erfmann have secured a court order setting aside their expulsion from one of South Africa’s top golf clubs, The Links, owned by billionaire Hasso Plattner.
The golf course is in George, Western Cape.
Bucham is a former executive of listed IT staffing and education group, Advtech, while Erfmann is a former non-executive director of Tekkie Town.
In 2022, the three were kicked out of the world renowned Fancourt Golf Estate, which has three Gary Player-designed championship courses.
According to their argument before courts, while the exclusive membership has strict rules, they were summarily dismissed without due process.
The evidence they led before court persuaded the judge, who ruled in their favour.
“The first and third applicants became members of the exclusive golf course nearly 20 years ago. The second applicant earned membership rights nearly 10 years ago. The applicants are thus subject to the rules of their club,” reads the judgment handed down at the Cape Town high court on Tuesday.
“Although the rules changed over time both versions of the rules envisage members being afforded a hearing before being reprimanded, or having their memberships suspended or terminated.
“Most importantly, before this power under the rules is exercised the member involved shall be given an opportunity to explain his or her conduct and shall have the power to summon any member or other person to the hearing and shall have the right to cross-examine such a witness, and to tender evidence by himself or herself or anyone else.”
Plattner is a German businessman, whose fame and wealth emanates from being the co-founder of software giant SAP SE. Forbes has his net worth
of $17.9-billion.
He remains the company’s largest individual shareholder.
Access to exclusive golf clubs, which come with hefty membership fees opens doors for businesspeople to network and seal deals.
The country’s richest man Johann Rupert owns Leopard Creek, situated in Mpumalanga. The golf estate is situated on the banks of the Crocodile River and borders Kruger National Park.
The 18-hole golf course was designed by the legendary Gary Player and hosts the annual Alfred Dunhill Cup.
