Fight over R435 000 inheritance payout
Director wants donation despite animal shelter having been shut down
A R435 000 inheritance donated by a Joburg animal lover is set to go to an obsolete wildlife rehabilitation centre that doesn’t keep a single animal.
This comes amid accusations that its director, Margo Bansda, has been mismanaging funds that led to the closure of the facility about three years ago.
All that remains of it are dilapidated offices with furniture that has gathered dust. There is an empty pond structure, and rusty animal cages are locked in what was once an animal clinic.
When The Star visited the facility this week, the yard resembled a scene from a horror movie due to neglect and vandalism. The centre used to accommodate rescued indigenous animals.
Efforts by an animal welfare group to prevent the Master of the South Gauteng High Court giving the money to the FreeMe Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Paulshof, Sandton, fell flat three weeks ago when the court revoked their objection. The court suggested the aggrieved group, Friends of Free Wildlife, to approach the high court for a review in terms of section 95 of the Administration of Estate Act 66 of 1965 before September 29.
Animal-lover Sheila Maureen Wright, who died last year, had included FreeMe in the will she drew up in 2010. At the time, the centre, located inside the Rietfontein Nature Reserve, was at its prime.
Bansda said donations had dried up and that she and board members were personally paying for most of the admin costs.
“Of course the inheritance would help us re-establish the centre and get the ball rolling again,” said Bansda, adding that the process to relocate started in 2016 with the removal of the animals.
Wendy Brodie of Friends of Free Wildlife said several donors had tried unsuccessfully to have access to the facility’s books since 2015, when Bansda took over as director. She said Bansda was still receiving funding from donors who were not aware that the centre had shut its doors a long time ago.
They had also launched a criminal case against Bansda in July. A document from the prosecutor, seen by The Star, claimed the matter could not be prosecuted because the centre had closed and there were no financial books available.
“The State is at this stage unable to proceed with the criminal matter as there is not enough evidence at this stage to prove a criminal charge beyond reasonable doubt,” said Randburg-based senior public prosecutor Anne-Marie Smith.
Brodie, however, is questioning how the Master of the High Court could proceed with bequeathing the donation if the centre was no longer in operation.
A company search by The Star revealed that FreeMe was still open and registered as a non-profit company with four active directors: Bansda, Shathianan then Govender, Brian Kuhn and Munsami Padayachee. At least 24 others have quit or died. The facility still seeks donations on its website.
“Bansda has confirmed to auditors that the place had closed but she still refused to show the company’s books to donors. She lost operational permits within nine months of running the facility. The place was in great shape when Wright made the will but that was no longer the case. Bansda doesn’t even have one animal to care for. The court does not seem to care at about all these facts. What is she going to do with the money?” asked Brodie.
The family of the donor are also up in arms and want the deceased’s handsome pledge given to the government.
“These people are full of sh*t. My mom made the allocation based on what she believed in at the time. If that centre is indeed no longer working, the money should be given to the government and donate it to fitting animal organisations.,” said the deceased’s son, Russell Wayne Wright, yesterday.
Bansda said this matter was settled, and claimed the board had opened a case of theft against Brodie in July.