News24 | RIGHT OF REPLY | Pieter and Retha Zeelie respond to reporting on Mjejane Trust

Two articles published by the now defunct City Press on News24’s website in April 2026, created serious and damaging impressions that Mr Zeelie had improperly enriched himself from Trust funds, abused his position as Court-appointed Administrator, improperly benefited his wife, Retha, and associated businesses, failed properly to account, deliberately delayed beneficiary verification, and was implicated in fraud, criminality, and a broader financial scandal.

As set out below, the objective record instead shows that Mr Zeelie acted pursuant to his Court-appointed mandate to protect the Trust and its beneficiaries and achieved material success in protecting and recovering Trust rights. Unfortunately, longstanding disputes persist with persons and entities who deny the Trust its rights to derive sustainable income from its land and participate in managing it. Many of the allegations included in City Press’ reportage arose from these disputes and were published without proper context or adequate regard to the material facts.

The material background to the disputes

The articles referred extensively to the Mjejane Game Reserve. HOA members own properties within a separate residential estate and use Trust-owned land forming part of the wildlife area of the Mjejane Game Reserve for wildlife viewing and related purposes.

Mr Zeelie is acting in his Court-appointed capacity for the Trust and its beneficiaries to protect and recover the Trust’s land, assets, and rights. The disputes and litigation concerning Trust land are between the Trust and the HOA and its members.

On 7 March 2023, Legodi JP found that an agreement granting the HOA and its members exclusive use of Trust land for no consideration, while excluding the Trust and its beneficiaries, was a product of fraudulent and deceitful conclusion, had been backdated and was contra bonos mores.

READ | Retraction and apology to Pieter and Retha Zeelie and Mjejane Trust

The Court declared four agreements affecting Trust land void, unlawful, illegal and unenforceable, set them aside and interdicted the HOA and its members from entering or traversing the relevant Trust land without the Trust’s written consent. The material outcome remained undisturbed following proceedings before the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Mr Jonas Madonsela confirmed under oath that the HOA funded specified litigation brought by him against the Trust.

In the Press Council complaint and subsequent mediation process, News24 and City Press were provided with these judgments, orders and other objective records, which placed the allegations, their sources and the underlying disputes in a materially different context.

This context explains why Mr Zeelie, acting for the Trust and its beneficiaries, was required to investigate, litigate and incur professional expenditure to protect and recover the Trust’s land, assets and rights.

High court findings concerning Mr Erasmus and others

In publishing the articles, reliance was placed, amongst others, on allegations advanced by Mr Johan Erasmus and Mr Jonas Madonsela.

The articles incorrectly described Mr Erasmus as an advocate and Mr Zeelie’s earlier urgent High Court application against him as a “failed” application. That application had been struck from the urgent roll without determination of its merits.

The proceedings continued and, on 31 July 2026, the High Court granted substantive relief to the Mjejane Trust and Mr Zeelie against Mr Johan Hendrik Erasmus, Mr Andre Jansen van Noordwyk and AVN New Horizon arising from substantially similar YouTube publications, in which Mr Madonsela was relied upon as a source.

The Court found that the respondents failed to establish a lawful defence or produce admissible evidence capable of establishing the truth of the statements concerning Mr Zeelie and the Trust. Their legal representative conceded that the impugned statements were per se defamatory.

The Court found that statements accusing Mr Zeelie of criminal conduct, dishonesty and breaches of his fiduciary duties infringed his constitutional rights to dignity and reputation, interdicted further publication and ordered the offending material removed.

SAICA findings

The City Press articles further relied on a document represented as a complaint purportedly submitted to SAICA containing serious allegations against Mr Zeelie.

City Press could not establish that the purported complaint or its allegations were before SAICA, and they did not form part of the disciplinary proceedings pursued against Mr Zeelie.

The actual SAICA outcomes were provided to City Press. The proceedings concerned four charges arising from separate complaints by directors or former directors of the Mjejane Game Reserve Home Owners Association NPC. Mr Zeelie was cleared of wrongdoing and SAICA made no finding of fraud, theft, unlawful self-enrichment or abuse of Trust funds by Mr Zeelie.

Press Council mediation

Mr and Mrs Zeelie separately complained to the Press Council concerning the City Press articles, as published on News24’s website.

Following consideration of the complaints, subsequent High Court judgment, SAICA findings and further documentation, the matter was referred for mediation.

News24 and City Press agreed to permanently remove both articles and to publish a retraction and apology, together with this right of reply in order to correct the public record and mitigate the harm caused.

Sources relied upon

The articles relied, amongst others, on allegations by Erasmus and Madonsela, who was also a source relied upon by Erasmus.

The articles created the impression that they represented the interests or concerns of the Trust, Kwa-Lugedlane community, land claimants or beneficiaries.

During the Press Council process, Inkosi S.M. Ngomane, the recognised traditional leader, confirmed in writing that Madonsela does not represent the community, has no mandate or authority to speak on its behalf, and does not reflect the position of the community or its leadership.

No R1.2 billion land scandal

The articles incorrectly created the impression that the Trust or community had reclaimed luxury tourism assets worth R1.2 billion, including the luxury eco-tourism estate and holiday homes, from which millions in revenue were being generated.

The eco-tourism properties and holiday homes are privately owned and were not luxury tourism assets reclaimed by the Trust or community. The Trust does not receive the millions in revenue attributed to those properties in the articles.

No R1.2 billion financial or land “scandal” involving wrongdoing by Mr Zeelie was established.

No established fraud, theft or self-enrichment

City Press established no evidence that Mr Zeelie committed fraud or theft, misappropriated Trust funds, unlawfully enriched himself, or was involved in the alleged financial “scandal”.

In the course of their complaints to the Press Council, Mr Zeelie provided News24, acting on behalf of the defunct City Press, with the applicable High Court orders. These confirm his appointment as Administrator and expressly authorise him to receive remuneration for his professional services at Court-approved rates.

The orders further authorise Mr Zeelie to investigate the Trust’s affairs, protect and recover its assets and rights, verify beneficiaries, institute or defend proceedings where necessary, and appoint and remunerate any professional and expert service providers, including attorneys and other advisers.

Mr Zeelie reports to the High Court

The articles created an adverse impression that Mr Zeelie was not transparent or properly accountable for his administration.

Mr Zeelie reports quarterly to the High Court and the Master of the High Court and has submitted 24 extensive reports recording his administration, work undertaken, and expenditure.

No delay in verification of beneficiaries by Mr Zeelie

The articles created the impression that Mr Zeelie improperly delayed the verification of the Trust’s beneficiaries.

The verification process had remained incomplete for many years before Mr Zeelie became Administrator. After obtaining authority to appoint a new independent professional in 2022 to complete the process, the verification was completed in 2024 and submitted to the High Court for acceptance in February 2025.

Finalisation of the beneficiary list thereafter became subject to opposition in further court proceedings.

Mrs Retha Zeelie and CST Governance

The publications created an adverse impression concerning Mrs Zeelie and payments to her company for professional services.

Mrs Zeelie and CST Governance rendered substantial governance, company secretarial and regulatory compliance services to the Trust and its associated entities, including reconstructing corporate records and attending to governance, regulatory and corporate requirements.

The applicable High Court order expressly authorised the Administrator to engage and remunerate any professional and expert service providers required for the proper administration of the Trust, pursuant to which these professional services were rendered.

Permanent retraction

Following the mediation process facilitated by the Press Council, News24 and City Press have agreed to permanently retract and apologise for the two articles and their adverse imputations concerning Mr and Mrs Zeelie, their affected businesses and the administration of the Mjejane Trust.