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The high court in Bloemfontein has removed Joost Westhuizen’s two brothers and his friend as trustees of the late Springbok legend’s J9 Trust.
But Pieter van der Westhuizen, Joost’s older brother, says he’s not intimidated by the ruling.
“What do you say to something like this? I’ll still be fighting for Joost’s wish to leave his money to his children,” he told YOU.
"That money is not Amor’s. It’s his kids’ money."
Netwerk24 reports that Joost’s estranged wife Amor Vittone broke down on Thursday when she heard her application to have Joost’s brothers, Pieter and Gustav, and his friend Gavin Varejes, axed as trustees from his J9 Trust had been successful.
The J9 Trust owns two properties in Dainfern in Johannesburg. A portion of the rental income of these properties is paid to Amor monthly for her children’s needs.
Judge Philip Loubser also ordered the three men to personally pay Amor’s legal costs.
Ulrich Roux, Pieter’s legal representative, told YOU they didn’t think the court decision was in Joost’s children’s best interests, and they intend to appeal.
Now, no one is in charge of paying Amor’s monthly allowance and his client Pieter also no longer had the authority to do so, Roux said.
Another pending application is due to be heard in the high court in Pretoria soon. Joost’s family want his 2015 will – in which his children are set to inherit his estate, with Joost’s brothers and Varejes as trustees of the J9 Trust – to be declared valid.
They want the will Joost wrote in 2009, in which Amor is the sole benefactor, to be nullified.
“If the court rules in our favour, Joost’s brothers and Varejes are automatically trustees. But in the meantime, who should do the payments?” Roux said.
Sean Hefferman, Amor’s lawyer, said they’d asked the court to appoint an independent attorney in Pretoria to manage the trust until Joost’s will has been finalised.
Hefferman confirmed to YOU that he has received the former trustees’ application for leave to appeal.
“The high court’s judgment still stands until the highest court grants the application,” he said.
“In my opinion this application is absurd. We’d much rather they get the case over the testaments on the roll as soon as possible so that this entire matter over Joost’s estate can be finalised.”
