A luxury property and farm linked to businessman Thapelo Samuel Buthelezi have been frozen after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomed a Special Tribunal order tied to allegedly unlawful R532 million Emergency Medical Services (EMS) contracts in the Free State.
The Tribunal’s order freezes an upmarket property in Meyersdal Nature Estate, Alberton, prohibiting Buthelezi from selling, transferring, mortgaging or otherwise dealing with the property.
In addition, the order restrains Buthelezi EMS, the registered owner of a farm linked to the case, from selling, disposing of, transferring, mortgaging, pledging or encumbering the immovable property.
The SIU says the action follows allegations that more than R532 million was unlawfully paid to entities linked to Buthelezi through controversial Emergency Medical Services contracts.
The freezing order also comes after alleged non-compliance with a previous Tribunal ruling issued on 5 May 2025, which directed the repayment of funds allegedly paid unlawfully to companies linked to Buthelezi.
The amounts include:
- R40,619,506.40 allegedly paid to Buthelezi One Stop Emergency Med
- R4,739,819.04 allegedly paid to Buthelezi One Stop EMS
- R305,196,897.00 allegedly paid to Buthelezi EMS
- R182,233,548.12 allegedly paid to B EMS
The SIU says the preservation order is aimed at protecting state assets and ensuring properties linked to alleged corruption are not disposed of while investigations continue.
