The High Court in Pretoria has dismissed an urgent bid by businessman Morgan Maumela and his family trust to halt the sale of a luxury Ferrari SF90 Stradale, paving the way for state investigators to auction the supercar for at least R9.5 million.
Maumela and the trustees of the MHR Maumela Family Trust sought to block a decision by the Special Tribunal authorising the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) appointed curator to sell the vehicle.
READ: Maumela’s R10 million Tembisa-tender Ferrari to be sold, SIU welcomes order
The high-end sports car is part of a fleet of luxury assets preserved by the Special Tribunal in September 2025 during the SIU’s probe into widespread corruption and maladministration at Tembisa Hospital, where approximately R2 billion in public funds was allegedly looted.
The curator, Jacobus Gideon Louw van Wyk, successfully argued before the Tribunal in August 2026 that selling the Ferrari was necessary to eliminate ongoing storage, insurance, and maintenance costs.
Under the order, proceeds from the sale, set at a minimum reserve price of R9.5 million, will be held in an interest-bearing trust account to maintain their value and help fund the upkeep of other preserved assets under curatorship.
Maumela, referred to alongside his associates as the “Maumela Syndicate” in Tribunal proceedings, opposed the auction, claiming the vehicle was likely to appreciate in value, and approached the High Court on an urgent basis following an appeal.
However, the High Court ruled that the Tribunal’s decision was an interim administrative order not automatically suspended by an appeal. The court found that Maumela failed to prove reasonable prospects of success or establish that irreparable harm would be suffered, noting that the monetary value of the vehicle remains fully safeguarded in the trust account pending the outcome of the broader civil litigation.
READ: Court orders forfeiture of R326m in assets linked to Morgan Maumela syndicate
Welcoming the judgement, SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho said that the ruling firmly affirmed the state’s mechanisms to protect preserved assets from depreciating while anti-corruption proceedings are finalised.
The SIU confirmed that evidence pointing to potential criminal conduct uncovered during the Tembisa Hospital investigation had also been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution.
- The Pretoria High Court dismissed Morgan Maumela and the MHR Maumela Family Trust's bid to stop the sale of a Ferrari SF90 Stradale.
- The Special Tribunal authorized the Special Investigating Unit’s appointed curator to sell the Ferrari as part of assets linked to corruption at Tembisa Hospital.
- The sale has a minimum reserve price of R9.5 million, with proceeds held in an interest-bearing trust to maintain value and fund upkeep of other preserved assets.
- The court ruled that the Tribunal’s decision was interim and not suspended by Maumela’s appeal, finding no irreparable harm or strong chance of success on his part.
- Evidence from the Tembisa Hospital corruption probe has been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for prosecution.
