Developments in Van der Walt estate saga

The family of the late Jannie van der Walt will now proceed to remove his widow Annelien as executrix of the estate.

His family will request the master of the South Gauteng High Court to appoint an independent agent to conclude the affairs of the estate, out of concern that his widow has done little to this end.

Annelien van der Walt has yet to answer to the master of the high court as to why she has still not appointed an attorney or chartered accountant to pay creditors and assist in finalising the estate, after she took matters into her own hands in July last year following a dispute with the appointed executor, Neil Diamond.

Van der Walt’s image as a destitute widow has been shattered after she has been seen driving about town in a flashy new German cabriolet. She also took expensive holiday trips during this time and bought a second luxury holiday home on the South Coast, for which she paid R1.85 million in cash.

This irresponsible use of funds out of the estate, without paying interest-bearing creditors, prompted the request to the High Court, the family said in a statement.

“We as the family find it upsetting that she sustains a lavish lifestyle while pleading poverty in the public domain and blaming the grandparents, sister and friends for her own irrational behaviour,” the statement said.

“This could result in creditors repossessing assets, which would be to the detriment of the minors in the long term.

“The grandparents would naturally want to invest their hard-earned money for the benefit of Jannie’s three children.

“She punishes them by withholding the grandchildren and preventing any contact whatsoever with her late husband’s family.”

Neil and Justine Diamond were very good friends with Jannie and Annelien van der Walt and also lamented the current state of affairs.

“We went on holidays together and our children grew up together. It is heartbreaking that we lost our best friends after Jannie’s suicide,” Neil told RECORD.

“We still worry about the way in which Annelien is dealing with the estate. Yet, in light of the accusations she made against us, we cannot help but keep our distance.

“I am getting tired of having to keep a lever arch file of evidence on my person, with which to prove my innocence to every person who believes the allegations, everyday,” he said, frustrated.

His wife Justine admitted that the drawn-out battle with Van der Walt had left deep scars in the Diamond household.

“Annelien was my best friend. She is in every photo, every holiday, every memory,” she said, staring at a scrapbook she had made for Annelien as a birthday gift, which was never delivered.

“Our children have suffered as a result of all the media hype, on top of having lost their childhood friends. It feels like we’ve been living out an episode from Days of Our Lives in the public domain. We have had enough.”