Wednesday, June 1 2005 08:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Durban: Former South African President Nelson Mandela yesterday (May 31, 2005) won a High Court order to prevent his Indian-origin former lawyer and confidante Ismail Ayob, from selling his artwork or using his name and amassing profits worth millions of Rand.

The order was granted by the High Court in Johannesburg. A similar order was granted against a local art dealer and businessman, Ross Calder.

Mandela has claimed that the two had benefited to the tune of millions of Rand by illegally using his name to sell his art works.

Neither Mandela, Ayob or Calder were present in court when the order was granted.

Ayob and his wife, Zamila, through their advocate, agreed to the interim order not to sell merchandise in Mandela's name or purport that they have Mandela's authority to do so.

The lawyer and his wife, however, have denied using Mandela's name without his knowledge or consent, breaching any copyright or intellectual property rights regarding Mandela, or that they had illegally or unlawfully reproduced any of his works.

The interim order will now allow Mandela to request Ayob and Calder to produce details of their financial benefits from the illegal sale of Mandela's merchandise.

Mandela is also seeking the removal of Ayob and his wife as trustees from his family trusts.

The order against Ayob was granted on the same day that the verdict against another Indian-origin businessman on fraud charges is being given in the Durban High Court.

Schabir Shaik faces charges of paying deputy President Jacob Zuma more than a million Rand in return for political favours and Government contracts from 1995 to 2002.

The verdict is being broadcast live on national television and radio stations.

Judge Hillary Squires will pass his final verdict as to whether or not Shaik is guilty today (June 1, 2005) afternoon.