/ 25 February 2005

Strong demand for Trevor’s assets

“Going once at R27 000, twice at R27 000, gone!” That’s the price paid at auction this week for Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel’s 2005 Budget speech and neckwear.

The speech, with handwritten notes encased in a black folder, and the red-and-cream striped tie fetched about half of last year’s price at the traditional African National Congress post-Budget fund-raiser. But 2004 was, after all, a general election year. The R27 000 is destined for the ANC’s municipal election funds.

Bidding went from R1 000 to R10 000 in less than 30 seconds and the Budget package went to Oasis Asset Managment for R27 000 shortly afterwards.

Taxpayers can relax — no state assets were sold off. “I paid for the speech, so it’s mine,” Manuel revealed later. The costs of paper and printing were covered, while he had paid “a few hundred rand” for the tie.

Both items will be framed and join last year’s goodies in the Oasis offices. Soon to join the display of political paraphernalia will be a Chris Ledochowski lithograph of Nelson Mandela’s first public appearance on a Cape Town balcony after his release from Victor Verster prison.

Under a full moon at Kirstenbosch Gardens, provincial ministers, MPs, members of the diplomatic corps and business high-flyers rubbed shoulders and exchanged business cards. One attendee pointed out that 70% of the business people were from Gauteng.

The auction was “an effort to help sustain the party that has produced the minister that produced the Budget”, said ANC Western Cape leader Ebrahim Rasool.

Manuel’s assets may have been the highlight, but a dozen or so paintings also raised funds: one, Poor Man’s Car, fetched a not too shoddy R7 000.