Johannesburg – Professor Thuli Madonsela has asked the Department of Justice to probe the Master of the High Court for possible fraud and corruption regarding the estate of her late partner, Richard Edward Foxton.
The Bulrushes has a copy of a letter dated 18 December 2025, addressed to Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, in which the former public protector details several anomalies she suggested amount to fraudulent misrepresentation.
“By now you may have heard or seen from the media that I have issued a statement regarding suspected criminality in the reporting and administration of the estate of my late partner Richard Edward Foxton, affectionately known as Dick Foxton,” Professor Madonsela writes.
She said she suspects criminality in the “unusually expeditious processing of the Foxton Estate”, and reporting of the deceased estate to the Master of the High Court in Johannesburg.
In the letter to the Justice Minister, Professor Madonsela adds: “I am writing to you to request an urgent forensic investigation into what appears to be fraud or attempted fraud in the reporting of the Foxton Deceased Estate No: 014788/2025.”
She writes that the anomalies were uncovered earlier this year, in July, when one of the Foxton family members logged on to the Master’s portal to check progress on the administration of the Foxton Deceased Estate.
Professor Madonsela said the family member discovered an electronic Death Notice that contained information, “which prima facie amounts to fraudulent misrepresentation or attempted fraudulent misrepresentation about the deceased and family relationships he had”.
She said the form titled “Death Notice” found on the Master’s portal appears to have been uploaded on 30 June 2025 by Michael Beder, who was a nominated executor at the time.
In Part A of the form, requiring Mr. Beder’s relationship with the deceased, the answer given is that Mr. Beder is the nearest blood relative.
Where it asks about children, none are listed.
“Mr. Beder is not a blood relative of Foxton or a relative at all. Mr. Foxton had four children,” points out Professor Mandonsela, who was his life partner.
She said other misrepresentations include that Mr. Foxton was still married to his second wife, Susan Foxton, when he died on 21 June 2025.
“Residential addresses are also wrong, among other things,” Professor Madonsela writes.
“Included in the death notice is a J190 Form in which Mr. Beder and the other Executor in the contested Will of 03 February 2025 Mr. Douglas Taylor, indicate their acceptance of executorship.
“The residential addresses of both Mr. Beder and Mr. Taylor are indicated as the same, while the estate number is the same 014788/2025 as in the acknowledged documents.”
Having detailed the anonamiles Professor Madonsela writes that while she appreciates that the Minister cannot get involved in deciding the validity of any Will or the conduct of executors, duties of the Department of Justice, the Chief Master and the Masters, regarding the prevention and elimination of fraud, including cyber fraud, were under her ambit.
“What appears is a prima facie case of fraud or attempted fraud, which must be tackled decisively and immediately in terms of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 (PRECCA) and the Cyber Crimes Act 19 of 2020,” writes Professor Madonsela.
She said Questions to be answered include:
- If it was not Mr Beder who uploaded the document, who did?
- Where did they get the information about Messrs. Beder and Taylor?
- What was the motive?
- What was the impact of that electronic reporting on the processing of the deceased estate?
