Bushiri lost his little piece of South African ‘paradise’

The house which was forfeited to the state as a result of Shepherd Bushiri and his wife skipping bail, is a “little piece of paradise” according to one of his neighbours in the plush Midstream Estate.

The fugitive couple Shepherd and Mary Bushiri’s failure to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday meant that their R5.5 million house in Midstream in Centurion was forfeited to the state, as one  the conditions of their bail. An application for the property to be seized was submitted on Thursday morning, and granted by the court.

According to Sipho Ngwema, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, the NPA has welcomed the decision.  He said the NPA has confidence in the ability of the legal processes to bring the accused back to South Africa to face justice.

“The two fugitives can run but can certainly not hide. They are not off the hook.”

Read more: Cabinet confident Malawi will send Bushiris back to SA – Lamola

Former journalist, Samantha Hartshorne told The Citizen about her experience meeting the Bushiri couple at their luxury home in 2016, while doing a feature for the newspaper about celebrity houses.

Graphic: Costa Makola

“When I arrived at the mansion, their PR lady let us walk through the house while we waited, because they were an hour and a half late,” Hartshorne said.

Hartshorne said she could see the plush pad wasn’t their main house, because even though it was furnished with expensive furniture, it seemed empty.

“They eventually arrived in two separate fancy cars and a stylist for Mary.”

She said although the couple were eager to pose for photos, they weren’t forthcoming and seemed guarded during the interview.

Some other celebs who are residents of the estate include Tbose Mokwele of Kaya FM, presenter Mapaseka Mokwele and Afrikaans singer Kurt Darren.

Local estate agent, Yolandi Meiring, said the estate adds aesthetic value to life, and caters to buyers of homes from R2 million up to over R10 million.

“The estate is a well-managed estate with state-of-the-art security, and everything you need within a five-kilometer radius,” Meiring said.

Derek Thompson, ward councillor and resident of Midstream Estate for the past 13 years, said the estate with its perfectly manicured lawns and litter-free streets is absolute heaven.

“Living there is life in paradise,” Thompson said.

“Bushiri lost a piece of paradise.”

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