Billionaire Douw Steyn’s ex gets nothing, as court rules they were never married

Fourteen years after what was supposed to have been their wedding, the KwaZulu-Natal High Court has ruled that billionaire insurance tycoon Douw Steyn and his now ex, Donne Botha, were never actually married – leaving her without any claim to his estimated R10 billion fortune and a hefty costs order.

The former couple met in 2005 and became engaged that same year.

Two years later, they had booked out the swanky Lanesborough Hotel in London, arranged to fly their friends and family overseas to celebrate with them and were ready to say “I do”.

But, at the last minute, they found themselves unable to secure a licence in time for their planned wedding date. instead, they wound up having what British solicitor Adrian Christmas subsequently described in court as a “blessing ceremony”.

Things between the two ended up going south and in 2014, Botha tried to institute divorce proceedings against Steyn and claim half of his estate. But the protracted legal feud that ensued was this week brought to a close with KwaZulu-Natal High Court Judge Khosi Hadebe finding there was never a marriage in the first place and that, as a result, “there can be no talk of a decree of divorce”.

Christmas consulted the couple ahead of the blessing ceremony and suggested it as an alternative to a wedding ceremony.

He was called as a witness for Steyn in court and testified that he had at the time explained it would not constitute a legal marriage. Hadebe found Botha herself must have been aware of this.

Botha had further tried relying on an agreement she claimed she and Steyn entered into ahead of their planned nuptials, which effectively provided that she would get a luxury house and car – together with an initial R20 million
and R100 000 a month thereafter – were they to split.

But the court found any claims that were not based on a marriage contract would have lapsed by now.

Hadebe was scathing of Botha, finding she had failed “dismally” to prove she and Steyn were married.

“The less said about her as a witness, the better. She was a poor witness, argumentative right through her testimony.

“She avoided answering questions directed at her. She insisted on making empty, unsubstantiated allegations,” Hadebe said.

– bernadettew@citizen.co.za