Douw Steyn

Donne Botha argued that a ceremony held in London in 2007 constituted a valid marriage to Douw Steyn and sought, among other things, maintenance and a share of his assets. On 2 August 2021, the KwaZulu-Natal High Court dismissed the action, concluded that no marriage had taken place and ordered Botha to pay costs on a punitive basis.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Accused

The launch of Steyn City, a luxury residential megaproject immediately adjacent to Diepsloot, prompted criticism of the contrast between a protected high-end enclave and a neighbouring impoverished township. The developers responded that the project had created more than 11,000 jobs. A subsequent academic study found that workers interviewed valued the jobs but often considered them insecure, low-skilled and insufficient to cover essential needs.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Former partner Donne Botha accused Steyn of assaulting her in 2006 and 2008. After the National Director of Public Prosecutions declined to prosecute in 2010, she initiated a private prosecution in 2013 for assault and crimen injuria.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Accused

In 2000, Steyn obtained elephants from Kruger National Park for his Buffelsfontein estate even though his application had been submitted more than two months after the tender deadline. Conservationists criticised the impression that a billionaire could obtain preferential treatment; the estate was also slightly smaller than the standard size for a breeding herd, and an exemption had been granted.

Attribution

Directly implicated