A R40 million estate left by the late Noordhoek man, Grantland Bray, has become the focal point of a bitter legal dispute after his family contested his will. The deceased, who died in 2022, was a bedridden quadriplegic following a tragic spinal injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident. His will allocated his entire estate, including valuable assets such as immovable property, vehicles, shares, and Kruger Rands, to the BoereLegioen RSA (BLC) and BoereLegioen NPC, both of which are described as civil defense movements. The will also directed funds towards Pathfinder Bushcraft and Survival Training Camps, which is associated with the BLC.
The family, led by Bray’s sister, Madelein Gerntholtz, challenged the validity of the will, arguing that it was vague, unclear, and inconsistent with public policy. Gerntholtz, as the first applicant and trustee of the Bray Family Trust, sought to have the will declared invalid or to have the estate devolve through intestate succession. She claims that by leaving R40 million to the BLC, Bray’s will indirectly supports unlawful activities and contravenes regulations set by the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA).
The contention centers on the fact that Gerntholtz accuses the BLC and associated organizations of engaging in white supremacist activities, and alleges that these groups promote conduct that violates the principles of the Bill of Rights. She describes her brother as deeply racist, antisemitic, and misogynistic, influenced by extreme ideologies, particularly the notion of an imminent “genocide” of white people in South Africa. Gerntholtz claims that over the last decade of Bray’s life, he became increasingly isolated and consumed by these harmful beliefs.
In response, Izak van Zyl, the director of both the BoereLegioen RSA and BoereLegioen NPC, vehemently denied these allegations, calling the accusations “slanderous, unfounded, and vexatious.” He explained that while the BLC was registered as a security provider, it was not yet fully operational or PSiRA compliant. Van Zyl rejected the characterization of the BLC as a white supremacist organization, asserting that its mission was to provide security training and support to communities in need, as well as to assist the South African Police Service with security services where necessary. He further emphasized that there was no affiliation between the BLC and the Boeremag, distancing the organization from any radical elements or ideologies associated with it.
Van Zyl also accused Bray’s family of seeking to exploit the situation for personal gain, suggesting that they had no interest in the deceased while he was alive but were now attempting to benefit from the estate. The legal battle has raised significant questions about the validity of Bray’s will and the nature of the organizations that have inherited his substantial estate. Judgment in the case is currently reserved in the Western Cape High Court.
The case not only highlights the complexities surrounding the legality of a deceased person’s will but also sheds light on the tensions between family members, personal beliefs, and the interpretation of public policy. As the matter continues to unfold, the court’s ruling could have broader implications for how estates are contested, especially when they involve controversial organizations.
