Report 65 Business Practices Committee

Investigation officers (officials) of the Committee visited Serengeti during September 1995 at its offices in Lynnwood, Pretoria. The managing director of Serengeti was Roberts. He told the officials that he was not involved in obtaining loans abroad for prospective clients. He alleged that he did not place the advertisement in "Die LandbouWeekblad At the time the advertisement appeared he was overseas and he only came to know about the advertisement when he returned from abroad.

Roberts said that a certain "A" placed the advertisement without his (Roberts') knowledge. Serengeti, however, paid for this "unauthorised" advertisement. Roberts maintained that there was no formal business relationship between himself and "A" and that they only shared offices. According to Roberts "A" "... had something to do with transport contracts". An official, during the course of an investigation into the business practices of another entity, held discussions with "A" during May 1998. "A" then claimed that he was paid a salary by Roberts. During August 1998 the official learned that "A" was imprisoned for counterfeiting banknotes.

Roberts stated that another person, "B" also had something to do with the advertisement. "B" was killed in a motor car accident two days after he got "involved" with Serengeti. Roberts was unable to explain exactly what the role of "B" was. He said "B" was interested to buy the "infrastructure" of Serengeti. This "infrastructure" apparently consisted of nothing more than office furniture and computers.

Roberts said that he imported and exported "commodities" and the officials accepted his explanation. The only "evidence" which the Committee then had that Roberts was apparently obtaining or trying to obtain overseas loans, was the advertisement in "Die Landbouweekblad". The Committee thus did not pursue the matter further.