KleuterZone kingpin Anthonie Bougas sequestrated
Anthonie Bougas, founder and director of the now-defunct KleuterZone franchise group, was officially sequestrated by the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday (3 June).
The court granted the final sequestration order following an application by Mathys Krog Attorneys, acting on behalf of the joint liquidators of KleuterZone Operations – Rikus Hartman and Susan Lapoorta.
The liquidation of KleuterZone Operations was made final on Wednesday 14 May.
Bougas, along with his parents, fled South Africa for Bangkok on 23 February amid the collapse of the nationwide nursery school franchise.
He did not oppose the sequestration of his personal estate.
ALSO READ: KleuterZone CEO provisionally sequestrated
The beginning of the end
Moneyweb began probing KleuterZone after being approached by concerned investors who claimed to have been promised exceptionally high returns – sometimes up to 72% – on what was portrayed as a fast-growing national chain of nursery schools.
Despite repeated requests, Bougas declined to provide financial statements, and it soon became apparent that the schools did not generate the income to support the investment returns promised.
Moneyweb also uncovered that share certificates were issued for companies that didn't exist or whose registration numbers didn't match.
Shortly after Moneyweb began publishing its articles, the scheme began to unravel as investors failed to receive the dividends they had been promised.
Evidence from ongoing liquidation proceedings points to an operation resembling a Ponzi scheme, where funds from new investors were used to pay existing ones.
ALSO READ: KleuterZone's collapse: Parents of founder also facing sequestration
Gambling habit
Court documents submitted by the liquidators further reveal that Bougas used large sums of investor money to bankroll personal indulgences, including gambling, international travel and luxury vehicles.
According to a report by Rapport, Bougas channelled nearly R80 million through a gambling account, although the total amount may still rise as further bank statements are obtained.
The elaborate corporate structure of KleuterZone, which included numerous subsidiaries and trading entities, allowed Bougas – who was the sole director – to transfer money between the businesses freely, including into his own personal accounts.
This setup complicated the financial oversight and masked the redirection of funds.
ALSO READ: Another KleuterZone company in provisional liquidation
More to come
In addition to Bougas's sequestration, the Western Cape High Court provisionally granted the sequestration of the joint estate of his parents, Rensche and Anton Bougas, who are married in community of property.
The application, brought by Hannes Muller and Madelein Kuilder – the provisional liquidators of KleuterZone (Pty) Ltd – alleges that the Bougas parents acted in concert with their son in attracting investor funds under false pretences.
In an affidavit, the liquidators argue that Rensche Bougas played a pivotal role in marketing the KleuterZone franchise and was key to sustaining the illusion of a thriving and profitable business.
Meanwhile, the liquidation process continues to unfold. So far, three companies linked to the KleuterZone group have been placed in final liquidation.
Two more are expected to return to court, on 4 and 11 June respectively.
The sequestration of the estate of Kobus Schoeman, KleuterZone's former CEO, is also due for court consideration later this month.
This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
2 days ago
- The South African
Lie, cheat, steal? Inside Kenny Kunene's criminal past
Before he was infamously known as the flashy Sushi King or as the outspoken Patriotic Alliance deputy president, Kenny Kunene was a high school teacher who dabbled in criminal activity. The 54-year-old served time in Grootvlei prison in Bloemfontein for several years. After being released from prison, he co-founded several lucrative businesses with his pal, Gayton McKenzie. Kunene has made headlines after he was found at the home of notorious businessman KT Katiso Molefe, who was arrested as the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Oupa John Sefoka, also known as DJ Sumbody. In 1997, Kenny Kunene – a qualified teacher – was convicted of running a Ponzi scheme and spent six years at the Grootvlei prison in Bloemfontein. Before his imprisonment, he sold alcohol in an illegal shebeen after hours. Kunene claimed he was part of a violent gang that performed armed robberies. Speaking to Sunday Times in 2010, Kunene revealed he once tried to sell ivory illegally in Pretoria and was shot at by police in a hail of bullets. He said: 'We used to get involved in fraud, car theft, robberies. Now, when we do our talks to kids and schools, we say, 'When we were criminals, we couldn't enjoy our cars, we couldn't drive them in the daylight.'' Gayton McKenzie and Kenny Kunene are business partners and friends. The duo later co-founded the Patriotic Alliance. Images via Later, Kenny and prison pal Gayton McKenzie co-founded their mining, publishing, and entertainment empire, which boasted several multi-million-dollar businesses, including the infamous ZAR nightclub franchise. Kenny Kunene ran into another legal spat when he 'unknowingly' registered himself as a director of several high-profile businesses. This contravened the SA Companies Act, which states that convicted fraudsters may not be directors of companies. He said: 'I didn't know that was the rule. When I read this thing about [Tony] Yengeni, I started resigning all my directorships.' In 2011, Kunene and McKenzie's mining company, Central Rand Gold, was probed for fraud over allegations it used its political connections to swiftly secure mining rights. In the years that followed, the company has also been accused of misleading investors with empty promises and using employee pensions to stay afloat. According to Kenny Kunene he was at the 'wrong place, wrong time' after he was found at the Johannesburg mansion of Katiso 'TK' Molefe 'I have done nothing. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, for the right reasons,' Kunene told the Mail & Guardian. Kunene claims he was accompanying a journalist to Molefe's house to conduct an exclusive interview for his online publication, African News Global. He said: 'I spoke to my contacts who know this guy. He agreed to the interview to tell his side of the story. I was then told to bring the journalist because they felt comfortable with my presence. 'As we drove in — before entering the house — and while greeting the person who had connected us to him, the police kicked the gate to come in.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Daily Maverick
‘He would never get involved with murders,' says Gayton McKenzie after suspending Kenny Kunene
Now placed on a month's leave over alleged ties to an accused criminal mastermind, Kenny Kunene has spoken out about the 'dramatic' arrest, but questions remain about the purpose of the meeting and the identity of the unnamed 'young journalist' he was accompanying. Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie says the decision to place his second in command, Kenny Kunene, on a month's suspension amid an internal investigation over links to an alleged criminal mastermind is the hardest decision he has made in his life. McKenzie announced the decision during a Facebook Live session on Tuesday evening, 22 July, hours after police found the Johannesburg mayoral committee member (MMC) for transport at the Sandton house of murder accused Katiso 'KT' Molefe. Molefe was arrested in connection with the killing of Oupa Sefoka, popularly known as DJ Sumbody, in a 2022 drive-by shooting in Woodmead, Johannesburg. He died alongside his bodyguard after the vehicle they were travelling in was peppered with bullets. He is also accused of the killing of Armand Swart, a Vereeniging engineer who was murdered after his company reportedly raised concerns about price gouging in a Transnet tender, according to police. 'Kenny Kunene will be investigated, and I am going to tell you who is going to investigate him – lawyers of good character. And while he's being investigated, I'm going to remove him from being an MMC,' McKenzie said. 'I'm also going to tell him to stand back from politics for one month until the investigation is done. That's the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. McKenzie took the decision to launch an investigation despite saying 'I believe Kenny 100%', raising concerns about the credibility of the process. He said would make the investigation's findings public. In a social media post, McKenzie wrote: 'I can't expect everyone to believe him, hence we are launching a full investigation to prove what we know, which is that he is innocent.' Kunene was appointed MMC in the City of Gold in February 2023 and has also acted as the city's mayor, filling in for both former mayor Kabelo Gwamanda and current mayor Dada Morero. Despite his short tenure, he positioned himself as a proactive leader by conducting site visits to depots, roadworks and bus infrastructure hubs, and leading raids on hijacked buildings and illegal connections, often a thorny issue. His past includes a criminal conviction. In 1997, he was sentenced to six years in prison for fraud after being found guilty of running a Ponzi scheme. At the time, he worked as an English teacher but became involved in criminal activity while selling alcohol after hours. 'Dramatic' arrest Speaking to SABC News about the visit to Molefe's home, it would appear that he went in his capacity as the owner of online publication African News Global. Kunene told the broadcaster he was in the company of an unmanned person who had arranged the meeting with Molefe who claimed he had never met or interacted with him before. They were with an unnamed journalist who was set to conduct an exclusive interview with Molefe. 'We are not friends. I think if you look at my online newspaper, it hasn't been that active and I decided to put together some young people that can run with it, that are interested in the media space, to resuscitate it, obviously, and its own tradition. It has always focused on exclusive stories…' Molefe's arrest took place within seconds of the trio arriving on the premises. They were in the driveway and were yet to enter the house. Kunene described the scene as 'dramatic' as police kicked the gate, having showed up with rifles and V-Class vehicles. Upon establishing that Molefe was the owner of the house, he was handcuffed while Kunene was being interrogated about their relationship. 'The police asked me if I had a number for Mr Molefe and I told them I don't, they can take my phone and search it. They asked how I got here, and I said the person I came with had sent me the address, and I showed it to them on my phone,' Kunene said. McKenzie has stood by Kunene, who he said was not just a friend of his but a brother, and godfather of his children who would never associate with murderers. 'I know Kenny Kunene. People think he's my friend but he's not. He was my friend, but he went past that and became a brother I never had. He's the one person who made me change my life in jail. He's the godfather of my children. I'm the godfather of his children. 'He would never get involved with murders. That's not him. He's a good man. He would never hurt a fly; he's not a violent person. I know he's innocent,' he said on Facebook Live. Opposition calls for action The DA in Johannesburg has since called on Morero to remove Kunene from his post as MMC permanently, saying a paid month-long day holiday was not enough. 'Hanging out with suspected murderers and bringing the entire executive into disrepute is punishable, and Morero must act,' said Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku. Kayser-Echeozonjoku also raised questions about McKenzie's investigation. 'Unfortunately for McKenzie, we do not have faith in his so-called internal investigation. Especially not as he has already made his belief in Kunene's innocence so clear.' ActionSA echoed similar sentiments, adding that public representatives ought to uphold the highest standards of integrity both in their official capacity and in private conduct. 'When such standards are brought into question, the legitimacy and credibility of the broader administration are inevitably placed at risk,' said Lebo Mokoka, the party's regional secretary. On the decision to place Kunene on a 30-day leave of absence from party activities and to relieve him of his duties on the mayoral committee, the party said: 'This is a necessary step. However, any conduct that undermines public confidence in the City's leadership must be confronted with full transparency and accountability.' DM
The South African
2 days ago
- The South African
Partners in crime? Inside Gayton and Kenny Kunene's lucrative businesses
Gayton McKenzie has defended Kenny Kunene as 'innocent' after the latter was found at the home of KT Katiso Molefe, the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Oupa John Sefoka, also known as DJ Sumbody. The friends and business partners have come a long way after meeting at a Bloemfontein prison more than two decades ago. In 1997, Kenny Kunene – a qualified teacher – was convicted of running a Ponzi scheme and spent six years at the Grootvlei prison in Bloemfontein. During this time, he befriended Gayton McKenzie, who was serving time for armed robbery. The duo began hustling from behind bars by smuggling cash and food. Gayton and Kenny reunited after their release and vowed to go into business together. They initially sold the former's motivational book, The Choice , to schools around the country. Gayton McKenzie and Kenny Kunene's rise from rags to riches has largely been due to their ability to start and sell successful businesses for a profit. The duo was mentored by businessmen Greg James and Gavin Varejes, and soon, they started their mining business, Central Rand Gold. Their mining business extended to other African countries. The duo co-founded ZAR Empire Holdings, which had dealings in entertainment, property, and mining. The company established the publishing group, X-Concepts, which is behind Gayton's multiple memoirs, including The Hustler's Bible. They founded the ZAR nightclub franchise, a hotspot for many celebrities in the early 2000s. The pals also founded Rivonia On Deck, another popular entertainment venue. For those who don't know: Kenny Kunene, a convicted criminal in his own right, is Gayton McKenzie's right-hand man and long time partner in 'business' and politics. — A Political Economist (@politicaleconZA) July 23, 2025 According to Kenny Kunene, Gayton and himself also sold fish and chicken from their car boots, marketed tickets to motivational talks to corporate companies, and also became security advisors to other businesses and the public. 'I went from sleeping on the floor to sleeping on the top floor of fancy hotels. I did it all!', Kenny said in his reality TV show, So What: Big Money, Big Dreams. In 2013, Gayton McKenzie and Kenny Kunene cofounded the Patriotic Alliance. The political party was multiracial but particularly focused on serving the interests of the country's coloured communities. At the time, Gayton had 'poached' Kenny from the Economic Freedom Front (EFF), which he was a member of. He told Mail & Guardian at the time: 'I don't want to become a member of Parliament, nor does Kenny… want to work with the people on the ground.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
