Socialite's mansion for sale

Johannesburg - The mansion of Cape Town socialite Baroness Alexandra von Maltzahn, who left South Africa in mid-2009 under a cloud of debt, is to go on auction in January.

The 8 000m² property is on Rhodes Drive, halfway between Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Constantia Nek.

Auctioneers Auction Alliance said on Monday that the entire contents of the house, including antique furniture, handbags, jewellery, book collections, crockery and gym equipment, would also be on offer.

It said the homestead boasted an indoor swimming pool served by a lift, a library, conservatory, wine cellar, gym, sauna, cottage and garaging for six cars.

A vacant neighbouring stand of over 9000m² would also go under the hammer.

The auctioneers said Standard Bank, which was owed R45m by the Von Maltzahns, had power of attorney to sell the properties.

Von Maltzahn and her husband Victor had been living in London, and moved to South Africa in the late 1990s, along with a quantity of furniture belonging to a Mayfair antique dealer who was surprised to learn it had gone overseas.

They moved into the Rhodes Drive property in 2002, and reportedly hosted lavish parties and had regular visits from other Constantia residents, including Mark Thatcher and Simon Mann.

However, Noseweek magazine reported they owed considerable sums to local tradesmen, and gave the baroness the sobriquet "Baroness Bullshit".

When she departed from South Africa in July 2009, she left the house strewn with her clothing and personal effects.

Her abandoned Range Rover was collected by the auctioneers at Cape Town International Airport after airport security alerted authorities.

The auction takes place on January 22.

- Sapa