ANC Youth League president Julius Malema is building a multi-million-rand fortress after demolishing his R3.6-million Johannesburg home.
Despite reports suggesting that Malema had sold the house earlier this year, a deeds search this week revealed that he still owns the property in Sandton.
The "economic freedom fighter", as the youth league leader calls himself, declined to speak to the Sunday Times about the issue, saying the newspaper was invading his privacy.
His neighbours at the upmarket estate in Sandown say they were surprised to see the house being demolished early this year.
"(We) are in horror because this was a perfectly beautiful house. Paving was done around the house and many other big renovations ... and then he brought the whole thing down," said a neighbour who did not want to be identified.
A Sunday Times visit to the site this week revealed construction workers hard at work. A Bedfordview-based company - Kwandisa Construction - is involved.
Insiders familiar with the project say the house could be the biggest in the area. It is expected to be a double-storey building with underground parking.
"It is going to be a very big and modern house - probably the biggest in the estate. There's underground parking and it will have two floors on top of that," said one insider.
According to the insider, actual construction would start soon and the house would be complete by early next year.
It is uncertain where Malema is living while construction is under way. His grandmother's house in Seshego, Limpopo, is also undergoing renovations.
Malema's spokesman Floyd Shivambu said: "It is a private matter and not for the newspapers. We are asking that people respect other people's privacy and not interfere with it."
Malema, who fashions himself as a champion of the poor, recently spent a week on holiday in Italy following his re-election - unopposed - as youth league president.
- Timeslive
Despite reports suggesting that Malema had sold the house earlier this year, a deeds search this week revealed that he still owns the property in Sandton.
The "economic freedom fighter", as the youth league leader calls himself, declined to speak to the Sunday Times about the issue, saying the newspaper was invading his privacy.
His neighbours at the upmarket estate in Sandown say they were surprised to see the house being demolished early this year.
A Sunday Times visit to the site this week revealed construction workers hard at work. A Bedfordview-based company - Kwandisa Construction - is involved.
Insiders familiar with the project say the house could be the biggest in the area. It is expected to be a double-storey building with underground parking.
"It is going to be a very big and modern house - probably the biggest in the estate. There's underground parking and it will have two floors on top of that," said one insider.
According to the insider, actual construction would start soon and the house would be complete by early next year.
It is uncertain where Malema is living while construction is under way. His grandmother's house in Seshego, Limpopo, is also undergoing renovations.
Malema's spokesman Floyd Shivambu said: "It is a private matter and not for the newspapers. We are asking that people respect other people's privacy and not interfere with it."
Malema, who fashions himself as a champion of the poor, recently spent a week on holiday in Italy following his re-election - unopposed - as youth league president.
- Timeslive
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