Sanctioned Russian Tycoon’s R9bn Superyacht Heads for Cape Town, Mzansi Shares Mixed Feelings

• A superyacht that belongs to a Russian tycoon, Alexey Mordashov, is making its way to South African shores
• The $500 million (about R9.1 billion) superyacht is expected to arrive in Cape Town on Wednesday, 9 November
• The 141-metre Nord has two helipads, and a swimming pool previously travelled to the Maldives and Seychelles

CAPE TOWN - Russian tycoon Alexey Mordashov’s $500 million (about R9.1 billion) superyacht is seemingly headed to South Africa.

On Friday morning, 21 October, the yacht was spotted on the southeast of Hainan Island after sailing into Hong Kong recently.

Mordashov’s superyacht is expected to arrive in Cape Town on Wednesday, 9 November. However, it is unclear if South Africa will be his final destination.

Mordashov, the third-richest person in Russia, has been sanctioned by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union over his alleged ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Read also

Self-proclaimed Prophet Mboro chased away for allegedly being disrespectful to Bokgabo Poo's family

TimesLIVE reported that Mordashov’s spokesperson said the billionaire has been in Moscow since the yacht arrived in Hong Kong.

The 141-metre Nord has two helipads, and a swimming pool previously travelled to the Maldives and Seychelles before arriving in Vladivostok in March, according to Aljazeera.

Mzansi reacts to superyacht heading to SA:

@Nkocnaty_Jele said:

“He’s welcomed here. The real criminal is Putin. Mordashov did not order the invasion of any country.”

@L1tl10ld48 commented:

“And of course, he will be let in, if Naledi Pandor has anything to do with it.”

@JodiSAnne added:

“The ANC’s welcoming red carpet for the despot is all too familiar and can never be ruled out or underestimated!”

Allies freeze $330 bn of Russian assets since Ukraine invasion: task force

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported a sanctions task force of leading Ukraine allies has frozen more than $330 billion in financial resources owned by Russia’s elite and the central bank since Moscow’s troops invaded, the group announced Wednesday.

Read also

Eskom wins order to force its former CEO Brian Molefe to pay back pension monies, SA welcomes ruling

The Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs Task Force (REPO) said in a joint statement that they had blocked $30 billion in assets of Russian oligarchs and officials, and immobilized $300 billion owned by the Russian central bank.

They have also detained at least five luxury yachts and frozen opulent real estate owned by the country’s billionaires.

Source: Briefly News