BRACKENHURST – Well known businessman and councillor Neil Diamond came under fire on Sunday, February 23 when Carte Blanche (M-Net) aired interviews with Antionette and Dominque Fourie, wife and daughter of the late owner of La Montanara, and Annelien van der Walt, widow of deceased Jannie van der Walt, a former friend of Diamond.
Diamond was accused of making payments out of the Van der Walt estate, as executor of the estate, of more than R5 million and for removing property (furniture, paintings etc) from La Montanara, owned by the insolvent estate of the Fouries. During the Carte Blanche interview it was stated that the sale fell through because the Diamonds could not get finance.
“Neil sal altyd ‘n disgrace wees. La Montanara was my pa se lewe gewees en ek glo in my hart my pa (Deon Fourie) sou homself nie gehang het nie.”
Dominque Fourie accused Diamond that he forged a signature on an authority to make improvements because there was illegal water, sewerage and electrical connections.
Diamond was further accused of removing all the furniture from La Montanara, which they later found in his possession in a search and seize operation by the police.
Antoinette told Carte Blanche that she and her late husband spent years through their travels collecting all the assets (antiques), which was removed by Diamond. Diamond denied this. “The Fouries wanted money immediately and when we paid the R120 000 deposit for the sale of La Montanara, the Fouries gave the furniture as surity,” Diamond said.
To these accusations Diamond produced proof that two banks refused to extend finance for the sale of the property due to latent defects and also produced proof of an agreement between Justine Diamond and Antionette Fourie for the purchase of some of the furniture from La Montanara.
On Carte Blanche’s Facebook page Deborah Stephan Ueckermann made the following comment: “Neil sal altyd ‘n disgrace wees. La Montanara was my pa se lewe gewees en ek glo in my hart my pa (Deon Fourie) sou homself nie gehang het nie.” Deon Fourie commited suicide in 2010.
“The Fouries wanted money immediately and when we paid the R120 000 deposit for the sale of La Montanara, the Fouries gave the furniture as surity.”
The Van der Walts and Diamonds used to be best friends until Annelien van der Walt started contesting Diamond’s doings as executor of her husband’s will. Jannie van der Walt’s suicide occured on January 31, 2012, and Van der Walt’s will stipulated that Diamond would be the executor of the estate.
During the Carte Blanche interview Annelien van der Walt stated that she had no reason not to trust Diamond due to their history as best friends, and that Diamond kept assuring her that what he is doing, he is doing in her and her three sons’ best interest.
She accused Diamond of making payments out of the estate of more than R5 million and that she is in possession of acknowledgements of debt, in which Diamond claimed that Van der Walt owed him R851 000 and R125 000. Diamond said he was a creditor of the estate for the said amounts, which he lend to Van der Walt during his lifetime.
Carte Blanche also interviewed a handwriting expert, Brigadier Hannes Hatting, who confirmed that the signature on Van der Walt’s will was forged.Carte Blanche then reported that there is no evidence that it was Diamond who forged the signature.
During the interview, Van der Walt’s lawyer, Theuns Liebenberg, stated that he has personally requested certain pieces of documentation relating to Van der Walt’s two businesses, but that nothing was ever produced.
The RECORD requested Diamond to reply to interviews on Carte Blanche and he forwarded the following statement: “The reports attempted to link my work as a councillor and position as Ekurhuleni Chairman of Finance to these civil matters.
“These matters should have been dealt with in a Court of Law where judgement could have been served based on factual evidence.”
“This has nothing to do with my political office and are civil matters. All our actions were guided by sound legal advice.
“Since August 2013 we have been communicating with Carte Blanche concerning their investigations. During the off-camera meeting we provided Carte Blanche with two written statements and supporting documents.
“Despite providing Carte Blanche with three detailed statements, they neglected to broadcast our opposing views. The broadcast was one-sided and served no other purpose but to discredit me and my wife in the public domain.
“In respect of the Van der Walt matter, Jurgens Bekker Attorneys provided Carte Blanche with an affidavit from Annelien van der Walt, wherein she confirms under oath that the disputed will of 17 January 2012 was the last will and testament of Jannie van der Walt.
“This was not broadcast. We also obtained an interdict against Annelien van der Walt and through conducting an interview with Carte Blanche, she is in violation of the court order.
“Carte Blanche also failed to contact the direct family of the late Jannie van der Walt for comment, despite being provided with their version and contact details.
“We will make a full statement once all litigation is concluded. In light of the Carte Blanche broadcast, we shall proceed to lodge a complaint with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa, wherein we shall fully ventilate our concerns in respect of the broadcast,” Diamond concluded.
On Friday February 21 there was correspondence between Carte Blanche and Diamond’s attorneys and at 16:24 an email and letter (of which the RECORD has a copy) was sent to Webber Wentzel at Carte Blanche stating that Annelien admitted in a sworn affidavit that she accepts the will in question as the last will and testament of Jannie van der Walt.
The RECORD quotes from the letter: “Mrs Van der Walt has now stated under oath that the will dated 17 January 2012 is the last will and testament of Mr Jannie van der Walt.”
Mr Boerner, attorney to Diamond on record, told the RECORD that “in previous affidavits she contested the validity of the will of January 17, 2012 but as per the sworn affidavit of 11 February 2014 she confirmed the validity of the will by declaring that the will of 17 January 2012 is and was the last will and testament of Jannie van der Walt.”
Jaco Greeff, husband of Jannie van der Walt’s sister, issued the following statement to the RECORD: “With reference to the Carte Blanche episode on Diamond / Van der Walt / Fourie, the following is my opinion: I was present at the Carte Blanche off-camera interview referred to in the Carte Blanche documentary regarding above. ‘Audi Alteram Partem’ – hear the other party’s side before judgement is made.
“It is not possible to air all the facts in a short period of time, thus leaving the public with a distorted point of view. These matters should have been dealt with in a Court of Law where judgement could have been served based on factual evidence.”
The RECORD contacted Annelien van der Walt for comment. She did not answer her cell phone and the RECORD could not leave a message as the mailbox was full.
The Fouries declined previous requests for interviews with regard to La Montanare with the RECORD.
*To view the Carte Blanche interviews, click here or email comments to cvdwalt@caxton.co.za
Also Read: Developments in Van der Walt estate saga
