Myburgh Attorneys Inc

18/06/2026

18/06/2026

A family dispute over the distribution of a deceased mother's estate worth nearly R22 million has ended in the Western Cape High Court, with the judge ruling that one son cannot be excluded from sharing in the residuary estate despite wording in the will that appeared to favour only three of the deceased's four children.
Read on https://tinyurl.com/3u825dsm

18/06/2026

CLAIM AGAINST FIDELITY FUND FOR MISSING FUNDS
Laher Construction (Pty) Ltd (Laher Construction) paid R1,950,000 into the trust account of an attorney acting as conveyancer for a property transaction involving Misty Blue Investments (Pty) Ltd. The funds were to be held in trust and released only upon transfer of the property. Transfer never occurred, and instead the funds were released to the developer without Laher Construction’s authority. A subsequent settlement agreement did not alter the requirement that the funds remain in trust until transfer or repayment. Misty Blue later failed to repay the agreed amount and was placed in liquidation. Laher Construction discovered that the funds had been dissipated and lodged a claim with the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund (the Fund), which rejected the claim.

Laher Construction applied to review and set aside the decision of the Fund and the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Board (the Board) rejecting its claim under section 55 of the Legal Practitioners Act 28 of 2014. The parties debated whether the conduct constituted theft or merely a contractual breach, whether the settlement agreement altered the trust arrangement, and whether the principle of excussion under section 79 precluded recovery. The Fund maintained that its role is a last resort and that alternative remedies against the attorney or developer should have been exhausted.

The facts established that Laher Construction entrusted funds to the attorney for a specific purpose and that those funds were disbursed without authority and contrary to the mandate. This constituted misappropriation of trust funds, which in law amounts to theft. The settlement agreement did not alter the fiduciary obligation to retain the funds in trust, and the Fund’s contention that the loss arose from the developer’s default was rejected. The requirement of excussion was not absolute, and Laher Construction had taken reasonable steps to pursue recovery. The Fund improperly relied on irrelevant considerations and failed to appreciate the true cause of the loss. The rejection of the claim was therefore unlawful, unreasonable, and reviewable under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act 3 of 2000.

The decision of the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund and the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Board to reject the claim is reviewed and set aside; the claim is remitted to them for reconsideration on quantum; and they are ordered to pay the costs jointly and severally, including costs of counsel on Scale C.

Laher Construction v Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund and Others (090698/24) [2026] ZAGPPHC 564 (26 May 2026)

18/06/2026

PETRUS VILJOEN APPEARS IN COURT FOR FRAUD-RELATED CHARGES WORTH R27 MILLION

Petrus Jacobus Viljoen (57) today appeared briefly at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. He is facing a total of 400 counts of fraud worth R27 million, corruption, theft, uttering and forgery.

It is alleged that from January to March 2010, the accused and five other suspects who have not yet appeared before the court, fraudulently sold 46 properties belonging to the City of Joburg (COJ) to unsuspecting individuals and / or companies without the knowledge of COJ. To transfer the properties, the accused forged documents, including sales agreements, resolutions of City of COJ and Joburg Property Company (PTY) Ltd, power of attorney to transfer properties, affidavits and applications in terms of sections 68 (1) of the regulations under the Deeds Act 47 of 1937. Furthermore, it is alleged that the accused paid a deputy registrar employed by the Department of Land Affairs, gratification to register the transfer deeds of the properties.

This was discovered after the COJ conducted an audit on its immovable assets and noticed the discrepancies, and applied at the Johannesburg High Court to have their properties returned back to the city. The application was granted by the court and the properties were returned to the COJ.

After criminal investigations by the police, Viljoen was arrested in 2010 and appeared at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. However, the matter was set to start de novo in front of a different magistrate at the SCCU. Just before the matter was re-enrolled in court, Viljoen left the country in May 2025 and was re-arrested on 16 June 2026 at the OR Tambo International Airport after he was deported from the United States of America.

In court, the matter was postponed to 26 June 2026 for bail investigations and bail application. The state intends to oppose his release on bail.

Issued by:
Lumka Mahanjana
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Gauteng Division: Pretoria

And

Lieutenant Colonel: Granville Mayer(Hawks)

18/06/2026

Foreign nationals are taking on Home Affairs over the online residency application system. Many applicants claim the digital process is flawed and unfair, sparking legal challenges and renewed debate about accessibility and transparency in immigration services.
Read on https://tinyurl.com/bddxt9e3

17/06/2026

Peet Viljoen’s return to South Africa ended in a Hawks arrest at OR Tambo after his US deportation 😳 The authorities have now explained the serious allegations behind the case. Full details in comments.

Image: peetviljoen/Instagram

17/06/2026

A rhino horn trafficking mastermind has been fined R2 million by the Limpopo High Court. The ruling marks a significant step in South Africa’s fight against wildlife crime, sending a strong message to syndicates profiting from endangered species.
Read on https://tinyurl.com/2vxfcefa