SA orders Gaddafi asset freeze: report

Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma has ordered the Treasury to freeze assets linked to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his associates, a local newspaper reported on Friday.

The money is invested through the $5bn Libya Arab Africa Investment Co (Laaico), through Libya Oil Holdings, Libya African Investment Portfolio and Libyan Foreign Investment Company (Lafico), Business Day reported.

In South Africa, it owns Ensemble Hotel Holdings, including the luxury Michelangelo Hotel in Johannesburg.

Treasury officials were not immediately available for comment.

Libya holds billions of dollars in assets in Africa through subsidiaries its $70bn sovereign wealth fund.

The South African presidency said on Wednesday that Gaddafi called Zuma "to explain his side of the story".

The statement said: "South Africa has openly condemned the loss of life and attacks on civilians and reported violations of human rights in Libya."