- A Bentley Continental GT changed hands more than eight times, with many of these transfers alleged to be fraudulent.
- The car became associated with the Free State asbestos corruption scandal and vanished for years after being sold without proper authority.
- The High Court in Johannesburg later ruled that true ownership always remained with WesBank, even after numerous sales.
A Bentley Continental GT worth more than R3.6 million has completed an extraordinary journey through South Africa's legal system.
The luxury car passed through multiple hands, became entangled in a major corruption investigation and sparked competing ownership claims before eventually returning to the company that owned it from the beginning.
The saga ended when the High Court in Johannesburg dismissed an application by motor dealer Grandeur Auto (Pty) Ltd, which sought the return of the luxury vehicle after it had purchased it for R1.6 million. At the heart of the dispute was a car that seemed to attract attention wherever it went.
Introducing the case, Judge MP Motha observed, "By hook or by crook, it seems everyone wants a Bentley Continental GT."
The remark captured what followed over more than a decade, a trail of finance agreements, alleged fraud, criminal investigations, preservation orders, disputed sales and litigation involving a vehicle that refused to stay in one place for long.
A Bentley begins its journey
The story began in August 2015 when businessman Sello Joseph Radebe acquired a brand-new Bentley Continental GT through a finance agreement with WesBank. The vehicle was sold for R3 667 434.74.
Under the instalment sale agreement, WesBank purchased the Bentley from a dealership and sold it to Radebe. Although Radebe became the registered owner on the National Traffic Information System, WesBank remained the title holder and legal owner until the purchase price had been paid in full. The arrangement appeared straightforward. However, it would not remain that way.
Trouble starts with missed payments
Radebe later defaulted on the monthly instalments. By March 2020, arrears had reached R179 469.60 and the outstanding debt exceeded R2.4 million.
WesBank responded by instituting legal proceedings seeking cancellation of the finance agreement, repossession of the Bentley and damages. Before those efforts could be completed, the vehicle became caught up in a much larger story.
Radebe became one of the accused in the Free State asbestos corruption scandal. According to the judgment, his company, Mastertrade 232 (Pty) Ltd, was alleged to have received more than R36 million derived from unlawful activities.
The National Director of Public Prosecutions obtained an order preserving various assets, including the Bentley, pending criminal proceedings and possible confiscation proceedings.
Radebe and several co-accused were subsequently arrested and charged with fraud, corruption and money laundering. The criminal case remains pending.
The Bentley disappears
In April 2021, WesBank obtained default judgment cancelling the instalment sale agreement and directing the return of the vehicle.
When the sheriff attempted to execute the order a few weeks later, an unexpected problem emerged. Radebe informed officials that he had already sold the Bentley. The court found that he had no authority to do so because ownership remained with WesBank.
Judge Motha said the unlawful sale triggered a sequence of events that would send the vehicle through numerous transactions. "Mr Radebe had no right to sell the subject vehicle, and he could not validly transfer legal title ownership in the subject vehicle to anyone since the respondent remained the lawful owner thereof."
The judge added, "This sale set in motion several fraudulent transfers of the vehicle." The Bentley effectively disappeared. Despite having a court order entitling it to recover the vehicle, WesBank was unable to locate it for years.
Passing from hand to hand
The judgment records that the vehicle passed through more than eight owners and institutions. Not all of those transfers were legitimate. Judge Motha noted that many of them were fraudulent.
While the judgment does not trace every transaction, it paints a picture of a sought-after luxury vehicle moving from one party to another despite the unresolved ownership dispute hanging over it.
The vehicle's trail eventually led to motor dealer Grandeur Auto. The company paid R1.6 million for the Bentley and later claimed ownership of it.
The car returns home
The Bentley's journey finally took another dramatic turn in November 2024. Acting under the authority of a curator bonis appointed pursuant to the preservation order, the sheriff seized the vehicle from the premises associated with Grandeur Auto.
The operation was carried out with assistance from the Hawks and the South African Police Service. The vehicle was then handed to representatives acting on behalf of WesBank.
After years of moving between different parties, the Bentley had returned to the same institution that financed its purchase nearly a decade earlier. Judge Motha noted the irony. "Having come full circle, it is currently parked at its first home, WesBank."
Dealer turns to the courts
Grandeur Auto subsequently approached the High Court in Johannesburg seeking the return of the vehicle. The company argued that it had acquired ownership and was entitled to reclaim the Bentley. It also argued that it had been unlawfully deprived of possession when the vehicle was seized.
During the proceedings, Grandeur Auto attempted to rely on the doctrine of estoppel, arguing that WesBank's conduct had contributed to the circumstances in which the vehicle remained in circulation and was ultimately purchased by the dealer.
The court rejected the argument, with Judge Motha finding that estoppel had never been pleaded in the application papers. "To me, estoppel is a convenient afterthought."
The court further found that Grandeur Auto had failed to establish ownership of the vehicle. "The absence of ownership is fatal to any application for rei vindicatio."
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