MP’s ex-wife wins half of all his assets

Bukelwa Holomisa, the estranged wife of ANC MP Patekile Holomisa, has persuaded the court that she is entitled to half of his assets.

The pair married on December 16 1995 under the Marriage Act 25 of 1961. Things turned sour when her husband married another woman and they lived together as man and wife at the Lower Ngqungqu Great Place in Mqanduli.

Holomisa had initially intended to ask Home Affairs to expunge her husband’s new marriage from its records. She had earlier argued that although polygamy is acceptable in African culture, because of her civil union he could not marry again while still married to her.

But she decided not to pursue that route and to focus instead on the divorce proceedings. The divorce was granted to her by the Mthatha Regional Court but her husband appealed to the Mthatha High Court.

He argued that they were married out of community of property under the Transkei Act while she insisted that was not the case.

Now Mthatha High Court Judge John Smith has ruled that the MP failed to prove they were married under the Transkei Act and therefore cannot claim it is applicable.

Holomisa said: “I am happy that it is over” and declined to comment further while Patekile could not be reached for comment.