The Public Servants Association is withdrawing its protest threat after receiving an assurance that Markus Jooste’s horses are not running in this weekend’s Vodacom Durban July – simultaneously discovering that none of his horses are currently registered.
The Conglomerate wins the July in 2016 in the Jooste silks
The report, carried in www.timesliveco.za, says that the union had sent letters to horseracing’s regulatory body‚ the National Horseracing Authority‚ and the race’s main sponsor last week‚ demanding the exclusion of the former Steinhoff CEO’s horses in the event‚ “which could earn him millions should horses registered in his colours partake in the race”.
Mayfair Speculators’ Markus Jooste
Jooste resigned in December 2017 after questions were asked about the accounting practises at the retail giant.
The union said in a statement that public servants’ pensions were invested in Steinhoff through the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) on behalf of Government Employees’ Pension Fund (GEPF).
“In response to the PSA’s demand‚ both Vodacom and NHA wrote to the PSA and confirmed that no horses under Jooste’s colours are currently registered with the NHA and therefore his horses will not be participating in the Vodacom Durban July.
“Given the assurance from Vodacom and NHRA‚ the PSA will call off its intended protest march at the Durban July horse race.”
In March‚ TimesLIVE reported that 23 racehorses in the stable of the former Steinhoff boss were being sold in Cape Town.
Jooste was previously reported to have more than 200 racehorses in training and owned the 2016 winner of the Vodacom Durban July, The Conglomerate.
