Durban business man Siqu Zungu, 52, who is linked to the Umzinyathi Business Forum, is embroiled in a court battle against his landlord, who is trying to evict him.
Zungu lives in the four-bedroom duplex penthouse at one of Durban’s smartest addresses, which has panoramic views of the sea.
The property sits on the fourth and fifth floors of the luxury Herrwood Skye estate, a hi-tech complex which Durban estate agents describe as offering among the city’s best sea views.
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Landlord Dr Blaine Bloy has approached the regional court in Durban for an eviction order against Zungu, who apparently owes him about R400,000 after he allegedly stopped paying rent in June 2021. The matter is expected to be heard in court in November.
In his responding papers, Zungu says he is unemployed and struggling to provide for his family, who live with him. He also says his financial situation renders him unable to find alternative accommodation and he may end up homeless should the court grant Bloy an eviction order.
In response to a request for comment, Zungu said he moved into the property intending to buy it and paid the owner R3.5m as a down payment. The owner denies this.
This week, Zungu’s lawyers threatened to go to court to interdict the media from publishing this article.
On Friday evening, Zungu, wearing a gold gown, confronted a photographer, demanding to know why the property was being photographed.
Driving a double-cab bakkie, Zungu told the photographer that the media had been interdicted, before asking which page the article would be published on. He also asked for the name of the editor before driving off.
When approached for comment on Thursday, Zungu initially declined, saying the matter was before court. Asked why he was staying in a property he apparently cannot afford, Zungu hung up the phone.
