Pretoria – Fifty-seven-year-old businessman Petrus Jacobus Viljoen appeared briefly at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court facing 400 counts of fraud amounting to R27 million.
The accused, Viljoen, who appeared in court yesterday, Thursday, 18 June 2026, also faces charges of corruption, theft, uttering, and forgery.
Allegations were that from January to March 2010, the accused and five other suspects, who have not yet appeared before the court, fraudulently sold 46 properties belonging to the City of Johannesburg (COJ).
The properties were allegedly sold to unsuspecting individuals and/or companies without the knowledge of the COJ.
To transfer the properties, the accused allegedly forged documents, including sales agreements, resolutions of the City of COJ and Joburg Property Company (PTY) Ltd, a power of attorney to transfer properties, affidavits, and applications in terms of Section 68 (1) of the regulations under the Deeds Act 47 of 1937.
Furthermore, it is alleged that the accused paid a deputy registrar employed by the Department of Land Affairs gratification to register the transfer deeds of the properties.
The anomaly was discovered after the COJ conducted an audit of its immovable assets.
Auditors noticed the discrepancies, and the COJ applied to the Johannesburg High Court to have their properties returned to the city.
The application was granted by the court, and the properties were returned to the COJ.
After criminal investigations, Viljoen was arrested in 2010 and appeared at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
However, the matter was set to be heard de novo before a different magistrate at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
Just before the matter was re-enrolled in court, Viljoen left the country in May 2025 for the United States.
While in the U.S., Viljoen was initially arrested for shoplifting alongside his wife, Mel Viljoen (known from Real Housewives of Pretoria).
After that incident, Viljoen was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) because of immigration violations – specifically overstaying and legal irregularities with his status, which led to his deportation.
Viljoen was, however, re-arrested on 16 June 2026 at OR Tambo International Airport after he was deported from the United States of America.
In court, his matter was postponed to 26 June 2026 for bail investigations and bail application.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the state intends to oppose Viljoen’s release on bail.
