Jooste’s mistress living the high life
While he was in hiding Markus Jooste’s mistress seemed not to have a care in the world at this glitzy society event
SHE was never the shy, retiring type. On Facebook Berdine Odendaal shared pictures of herself in a bikini and she didn’t think twice about dancing on tables at parties. But when the big scandal broke and she was outed as the mistress of one of the most talked-about people in South Africa, Markus Jooste, the disgraced former CEO of Steinhoff, she vanished off the radar.
People were desperate for more information about the bubbly blonde who’s more than 20 years Jooste’s junior. How long had she been involved with him? And had she known about the shenanigans going on at the retail giant under his watch as CEO, which ultimately caused the share price to plummet on the stock exchange, costing investors billions in SA’s biggest-ever financial scandal?
But Berdine’s lips were sealed. Keen to spare herself – and presumably her married lover – further embarrassment, she removed her presence from social media and refused all requests for interviews.
Like Jooste (57), who’s spent months holed up in his luxurious homes in Stellenbosch and Hermanus, she clearly decided it was better to keep a low profile.
But it seems there’s still one place where she feels comfortable letting her hair down and being herself. Alongside the manicured fields of Val de Vie Estate near the Boland town of Paarl, Berdine (34) smiles and chats to friends, yells at polo players as they pass by, and sips whisky, slipping a R20 tip to the waiter as she watches the Veuve Clicquot Masters Polo event.
Dressed in a pale green designer frock worn with elegant heels, the petite blonde stunner doesn’t look as if she has a care in the world. During the main match Berdine – herself an accomplished polo player and the owner of several stud horses – joins friends next to the field. She lights a cigarette and as she smokes it she frequently gestures to the male players on the field. Then, as the team gallop by full speed on their brown steeds, she yells out to them. Later one of the players stops by on his horse and Berdine walks over to offer him water.
She seems to be at the centre of conversations and people lean over often to catch what she has to say. When another young man in a white shirt comes to stand close to her and puts an arm around her, she smiles in his direction briefly before continuing her conversation.
At half-time, drink in hand, she ambles over to the clubhouse to carry on socialising. But when we approach her for comment she lifts a finger, purses her lips and shakes her head to indicate “no”. Then the socialite turns on her heels to rejoin her group.
While people across South Africa have been stunned by the revelation of Jooste’s affair with Berdine, not many among the horsey set at Val de Vie seem shocked.
“Most men have affairs. It’s nothing un-
usual in polo circles,” Janine* says, shrugging.
Janine and her husband own 80 stud horses and belong to the estate’s polo club. She’s been Berdine’s friend for many years. Now she’s talking to YOU on condition of anonymity.
“She’s a wonderful, warm person. We all know she has nothing to do with Markus’ money mess. She was in his life for different reasons. Just because she had an affair with him doesn’t mean she’s done something wrong involving his business transactions.”
Janine says they never saw Jooste at Val de Vie or the polo club. “We know only what we read in the papers. Berdine doesn’t really talk about Markus and it’s not like she’s in tears every day. She’s still her old self, dead ordinary, and is carrying on with her life.”
Janine describes Berdine as “down to earth”. “When I invite her for a braai she brings an ordinary Woolies salad. Nothing fancy. No really, she’s a lovely person. Those who want to blacken her name are just jealous.”
TONGUES are wagging feverishly about the women in Jooste’s life: his classy brunette wife, Ingrid, who’s the mother of his three children, and Berdine, the hot young blonde who shares his love of horses. At the time their affair hit the headlines Berdine was reportedly happily ensconced in a luxury apartment in Cape Town’s Bantry Bay believed to be owned by one of Jooste’s friends.
Apparently the double life led by the controversial businessman was well known among members of his inner circle. But it’s not known if his wife knew of his long-standing affair or if she found out about it along with the rest of the country.
A good friend of Ingrid’s who also wants to remain anonymous says she’s standing steadfastly behind her husband.
“A month ago she went on a ski holiday with friends, which is something she’s always wanted to do. She didn’t know about any of the things Markus is being accused of,” the friend says.
“She’s an incredibly strong woman. She won’t allow any scandal to affect her loyalty towards Markus. Ingrid loves him and supports her husband all the way.”
While furious investors continue to count the cost of the billions his actions shaved off their pensions, Jooste continues to remain holed away in his luxurious properties, reluctant to show his face.
According to residents of Hermanus, Ingrid is regularly seen out and about in the neighbourhood near the couple’s sprawling home.
“She’s very friendly and always greets when she drives past,” says Pieter*, a neighbour. “But Markus? No. He’ll never greet you. The town is furious with him. Many of us have lost money. I’ve lost a few thousand myself and I’m retiring in a few weeks’ time. I’m not sure yet what I’ll be doing . . . It’s one’s pension, you know.”
The house of cards of the business magnate – named one of Africa’s wealthiest men in 2016 with an estimated net worth of $400 million (then about R5,4 billion) – came crashing down late last year when auditors Deloitte refused to sign off on Steinhoff ’s annual financial statements. Cornered, the company conceded “financial irregularities” and in December Jooste announced his immediate resignation as CEO pending an investigation. The shock news led to Steinhoff’s share price tumbling from its year high of R96,85 to as little as R5, costing investors more than R295 billion as ratings company Moody’s downgraded the retailer, which operates in 32 countries, to junk status.
But the dust isn’t showing any signs of settling just yet. A team of investigative journalists from German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and SA financial news website Moneyweb recently exposed emails appearing to show Jooste colluding with other top executives to cook Steinhoff’s books.
In his resignation letter to his colleagues Jooste announced he was ready to face the music. “It’s time for me to move on and take the consequences of my behaviour like a man,” he wrote.
Now, months down the line, it seems they were all just empty words. With more evidence coming to light about the part he played in the mindboggling accountancy fraud that brought retail giant Steinhoff to its knees, the former CEO seems to have decided it’s better not to say or do anything at all.
But as he lies low rumours continue to swirl. Not just about the demise of his career but also the buzz about him, his wife and his lover. S
*Not their real names