Former cabinet minister Penuell Maduna’s bid to claim his share of the lucrative empowerment gravy train has been derailed — by none other than his former wife‚ the Sunday Times newspaper reported.

The former minerals and energy and justice minister is embroiled in a legal battle to stop the millions he is owed from a broad-based BEE deal with petrochemicals giant Sasol from ending up in the hands of his ex-wife‚ Nompumelelo Maduna.

He clinched the Sasol deal just two years after leaving the cabinet in 2004.

Maduna — who is now vice-chairman at law firm Bowman Gilfillan — filed urgent papers in the High Court in Pretoria last week to stop Nompumelelo gaining control of about R18-million in dividends scheduled to be paid out by Sasol this month‚ the newspaper said.