By Bahle Gama
The office of the Master of the High Court has been accused of distributing an estate to people impersonating its legitimate distribution.
This was done with the assistance of the executor and her other siblings who allegedly submitted fraudulent documents to the office.
This was disclosed by one of the three beneficiaries Sanele Dube who had appeared before the Commission on Thursday.
Sanele told the Commission that when he and two other siblings, Thandeka and Bheki went to inquire about their late father’s estate, they found that certified copies of IDs and affidavits had been filed.
The IDs had their names, but different numbers, and the pictures were of different people.
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The office accepted the identification and proceeded with dis
The office accepted the identification and proceeded with distributing the estate.
Sanele stated that their sister Dudu opened the file at Master when their father Herbet Dube died in 1994.
Bheki said when they arrived at the office, Master was not forthcoming with their father’s file at first.
Later on, they discovered the forged signatures in affidavits and fake IDs with non-existent numbers identifying them as the beneficiaries.
However, it is suspected that their two siblings, Phumzile who was appointed as the executor, and Dudu orchestrated the submission of fake documents at Master and,
In the process received cash which they shared amongst each other and further sold their father’s homestead at the Corporation without the approval and knowledge of the three other siblings.
Sanele told the Commission that when they arrived at Master, they were also told that Dube was married in South Africa, through Swazi Law Custom, something that was unknown to the family and is refuted by their aunt, to date.
Dudu and Phindile who are birthed by the woman that was allegedly married to their father told Master they were born in the marriage in that they received money from the pension fund and had their school fees paid for.
Meanwhile, the three others had to drop out of school because they had no access to the funds.
“What was surprising is that the file from Master said we benefitted from the estate and the sale of the homestead at Corporation was approved, which is something we do not know of,†submitted Bheki.
When the siblings enquired from Master about the plot number that was sold and took it to the Municipality, they found that they had been given the wrong one.
Assistant Master Thobeka Dlamini said there was an affidavit that was submitted and stated that Dube had been married, however, there was no marriage certificate in the file.
The inventory said he had E19,000 cash and a plot at Extension 3, at Msunduza.
Dlamini stated that Phumzile was nominated as an executor in a meeting that was chaired by Master Phumzile Thomo.
She (Phumzile) prepared two liquidation accounts, in which the first was of the plot which was sold at E192,000 and was distributed to the bogus beneficiaries for maintenance, whilst Phindile and Dudu received about E59,000 shares in the estate.
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The Commission questioned why the woman alleged to have been married to their father was not given a share of the estate as should have been the case, further noting the discrepancies in the file in relation to the Swazi Law Custom marriage in South Africa which is impossible.
The office was further questioned on whether affidavits were confirming the marriage from SA.
“There is a need to know where and to whom was the money paid out. Master must look again at the IDs of the people impersonating the children with the assistance from the police for a thorough investigation and submit a report to the Commission,†said Chairperson Judge Majahenkhaba Dlamini.
Master Thomo said the office would check and verify the information in their office and act accordingly.
In the interim, the office would have to check whether there is money that remains in the guardian fund which could be distributed to the legitimate beneficiaries, whilst investigations continue.
