The KwaZulu-Natal public works department has turned to the Durban High Court to stop sales or development of prime government real estate sold in secret to a string of businesses, among them private school giant Curro Holdings.

The court yesterday granted the department's bid to prevent the further sale or development of 11 properties sold on the quiet by unscrupulous officials.

Relief, the department says, will be the rectification of the deeds to reflect the state as the owners.

Three properties, bought by Curro Holdings in March this year, are worth more than R24-million.

In an affidavit deposed by public works official Mirriam Linda, she revealed how the department came to know how the land was "stolen".

"After receiving information from the eThekwini municipality relating to the existence of fraudulent rates-clearance certificates, I performed a deed search which revealed that three properties had been transferred to the first respondent by registered deed."

Records revealed that the three properties had shifted hands three times on the same day, eventually landing with Curro Holdings.

The properties were sold to Rebecca Ann Prosser for just over R6-million, then on to company Nulane Investments 399 for R11.5-million and finally on to Curro, which paid more than R24-million.

Linda said the transfers were done using the "forged" signature of a public works official who left the department in 2012.

"Besides the fact that the powers of attorney are fraudulent, there are a number of other circumstances being investigated by the police which suggest that a syndicate is behind these transfers.

"I am advised that it is unwise to place before this court suspicions which are being investigated. They point to criminal conduct of conveyancers involved in the transfer of properties."