Tycoon trashes Ferrari

’ SOUTH African BEE tycoon Lonwabo Fezekile Mahlati spent Easter in hospital after a dramatic incident that destroyed a Ferrari.

The businessman from Bishopscourt in Cape Town has been arrested six times for traffic offences, including drunk driving, since 2007. He spent Christmas Day in custody after leading police on a high-speed car chase, also in a Ferrari.

Mahlati, 51, was injured in the early hours of Thursday when a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti — worth millions of rands — crashed and rolled across Cape Town’s N2 freeway on Hospital Bend. The car burst into flames soon after two occupants were rescued by emergency services.

By late yesterday police were unable to confirm details of the crash, because it had not been reported. Emergency personnel at the scene could not find any number plates.

The Sunday Times has established that Mahlati was driving the car and was admitted to Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Pinelands. His passenger was not injured.

Mahlati ’ s CV credits him with helping to set up the ANC’s investment arm, Thebe Holdings, and Cosatu’s investment company, Kopano Ke Matla.

Called on his cellphone yesterday in hospital, Mahlati told the Sunday Times: “Sisi, stop phoning me,” and hung up.

Western Cape transport MEC Robin Carlisle said: “I’ve tried legally to withdraw his licence, without success. What this means is that there is a . . . driver on the road who drives very fast cars and for some reason never ends up in court.”— Shanaaz Eggington and Buyekezwa Makwabe