Controversial businessman Sandile Majali was released on bail early on Saturday after an urgent application was lodged in the Johannesburg High Court, his lawyer said.
“He got bail at 1am [on Saturday] in the High Court,” said John Ngcebetsha.
He could not provide further details.
Majali, who is accused of fraud for allegedly hijacking a mining company, had his bail application postponed to Tuesday when he appeared in the Johannesburg Commercial Crime Court on Friday.
The state said it did not have sufficient information to proceed with the bail application.
Money laundering and additional fraud counts may be added to the charge sheet, the court heard.
Majali appeared in the dock with four others, Haralambos Sferopoulous, Stephan Khoza, Elvis Bongani Ndala and Linda Welencia Dlamini.
The businessman was arrested on Thursday after an investigation revealed that the directorship of mining company Kalahari Resources had been changed from Brian Amos Mashile and his sister Daphne Mashile-Nkosi to a group of eight individuals, including Majali.
He and seven others allegedly removed Kalahari Resources’ directors from the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (Cipro) database in August.
An urgent interdict was brought before the High Court in Johannesburg last month. The court ruled that Cipro reinstate the siblings as directors of the company.
Kalahari Resources owns a 40% stake in Kalagadi Manganese, the mining company developing an R11-billion manganese mine and sinter plant in the Northern Cape, as well as a smelter at Coega.
The Industrial Development Corporation owns 10% of Kalagadi Manganese, while steel producer ArcelorMittal owns the remaining 50% stake.
Majali came into the public eye following his role in the Oilgate saga that saw him “donate” R11-million of PetroSA’s funds to the ANC ahead of the 2004 elections. – Sapa