The many scandals of Bernie Habana: A history of betrayal and fraud
Springbok great Bryan Habana says he hasn't had a relationship with his father Bernie Habana over the last 15 years.
Image: File
Springbok legend Bryan Habana has shared a deeply personal account of how his father, Bernie Habana, betrayed his trust by allegedly misappropriating money while acting as his agent early in his career.
In a recent interview on the Business of Sport podcast, Bryan explained that he discovered the financial mismanagement only after trying to access his savings to buy a home, only to learn his supposed “trust account” didn’t exist and that his father had used the funds for his own benefit over an eight-year period.
This revelation ultimately ended any meaningful relationship between them and saw Bryan sever financial ties completely.
A long history of controversy around Bernie Habana
While Bryan’s comments shed new light on their fractured relationship, Bernie’s troubles have been chronicled over more than a decade:
2010–2013: Legal and personal fallout
According to the Sunday Times, family legal documents from 2013 show Bryan had not spoken with his father for more than three years, after his mother’s affidavit revealed disputes over alleged financial schemes and a court battle involving a R1 million debt Bernie was accused of owing to an investor. The investor labelled him a “fraudster”, and the incident contributed to the collapse of Bernie’s marriage to Bryan’s mother.
2014: Allegations of evading a landlord
In 2014 Bernie was reported to have not paid rent on a R2.4 million Johannesburg property, prompting the landlord to seek an eviction order. Reports indicate he even presented false proofs of payment – including one allegedly linked to funds sent from Bryan – but these payments never materialised, resulting in ongoing legal conflict.
2015: Risk of losing goods over unpaid rent
According to a 2015 report by The Sowetan, court papers showed Bernie was set to lose household goods – from beds to washing machines – after failing to pay nearly R48 000 in rent, with his bank accounts reportedly frozen due to other financial disputes.
2022: Arrests and fraud charges
More recently, IOL reported in 2022 that Bernie was arrested on fraud charges connected to allegedly pretending to be a travel booking agent and defrauding multiple victims. He appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, and the case – which reportedly originated in 2015 – was adjourned with bail granted. The matter included allegations from as far back as 2013 of money owed to a Cape Town hotel and other creditors.
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