Bredenkamp flees, businesses under probe

Herald Reporter

THE National Economic Conduct Inspectorate (NECI) this week raided
local companies owned by business tycoon Mr John Bredenkamp to
investigate cases linked to economic crimes.

And the businessman is understood to have slipped out of the
country in a private jet yesterday morning after the investigations
widened. A source close to the investigations last night said Mr
Bredenkamp was being probed on allegations of flouting exchange
control regulations, tax evasion and contravening the Citizenship
Act. "It is understood that he had established offshore companies
in South Africa and his Zimbabwean operations were exporting to the
offshore companies. "In other words, he was exporting to himself,’’
said the source. There were also investigations on allegations that
the businessman evaded paying duty on the importation of some of
his vehicles. The source said it had also been established that Mr
Bredenkamp had more than one passport — a Zimbabwean passport
expiring in 2013, and a South African passport expiring in 2011.
"There are further investigations on his possession of a Dutch
passport,’’ added the source. Police last night could neither
confirm nor deny the investigations, while an official with the
NECI referred this newspaper to the Minister of Economic
Development, Cde Rugare Gumbo, who could not be reached by the time
of going to press