MaMkhize designer bags and Lamborghini auction soars to R4.4m with only hours left

Glamour, desire and audacity: all have been on show at the Bapsfontein Yard-disposal of distressed goods as the online auction of Durban businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize's  - MaMkhize to her fans - luxury handbags and assets reaches its finale in the next few hours.

And auction house, Bidders Choice's managing director Pieter Geldenhuys says there has been an inordinate amount of activity and interest. "Bidding opened and was immediate. In many auctions, we see a lot of activity at the end, but on these lots, as the auction opened, the bids flew in."

It's not surprising when such a wealth of luxury handbags goes on auction - not to mention a Lamborghini as well.

The assets are up for auction following a legal showdown with the SA Revenue Service which seized luxury items over unpaid  taxes.

Gossip on the streets used to be that many of MaMkhize 's handbags were fake: well not those on auction - all authenticated and the real deal, some fetching thousands already.

MaMkhize's saga has been ongoing since her legal batles and her Royal Am soccer team was placed under curatorship of Sars because of R40 million in unpad taxes. Finally the team was kicked out of the PSL, a big blow to SA football.

This auction is expected to fetch about R4.5 - R5 million, which will go towards the outstanding debt.

Final bids are coming in as the world's high fashion, high glamour and high-stakes legal drama collide and at 10am the bids stood at:

* The Lamborghini Urus 2021 (runner) is sitting at R4.3 million (they can fetch anything up to R8m). With commission the R4.3 becomes R4.7m which the bidder will have to pay to lay claim to the car. 

* A Louis Vuitton monogram canvas case has already reached R20 500 with still some hours left to bid.

* Two Louis Vuitton Zephyr suitcases are heading toward R46 000 for both (auctioned separately). These hard-shell chic suitcases whisper of first-class cabins and champagne toasts.,

* A Gucci Floral Ophidia handbag is sitting at R11 000 (retail price is about R19 000).

* A Saint Laurent Care Maxi Shopping Handbag with pouch has reached R29 000, and things are cotinuing to heat up in the last few hours of the auction.

* A Goyard Red Villette French Bulldog tote handbag is sitting at R14 000. This understated and exclusive piece with the signature chevron pattern while discreet is instantly recognisable. Who knows, for instance, what deals it carried. Ma Mkhize

Among the luxury names are also Gucci, YSL and Balenciaga pieces.

While retail prices are not much more, successful bidders are not just buying into luxury but into a story and a claim at a slice of MaMkhize's legend. 

Geldenhuys said the Lamborghini and the handbags were at two different sites. "We have been surpised by the amount of interest, especially by new clients. They were not only coming to view out of curiosity these were serious buyers.

Some, he said, were sent by "their bosses" - meaning their wives "who knew exactly which items they wanted to bid on". 

"We collected a lot of handbags. My team went through each and every handbag and suitcase to check for serial numbers (some are hidden) so they had to be trained on how to identify them. We then sent those off to an independent company in Sandton to aunthenticate."

Would-be bidders came from all over the country, including Rustenburg and Bloemfontein he said.