A BRASH South African who made his fortune selling sex and gambling to whites under apartheid, Sol Kerzner is an improbable new partner in the scheme to transform The Dome.

The youngest son of poor Russian Jewish immigrants in Johannesburg, he took boxing lessons as a child and has been fighting his way to the top ever since.

He grew up in poverty in a rough district where, as one of only two Jewish boys in his class, his fighting skills were a necessity. Mr Kerzner became an accountant but at 29 had raised the money to build South Africa's first five-star hotel.

Within five years Mr Kerzner, now 69, had started the Southern Sun Hotel franchise, the South African chain which transformed the country's leisure sector. In 1979, he built Sun City after striking a deal for exclusive gambling rights. It became the haunt of wealthy white South Africans and was the scene of world heavyweight title fights and Miss World contests. Mr Kerzner was then reputed to be worth about Pounds 600 million. His private life was just as colourful.

With five children from his first two marriages, two were left motherless when Shirley, his second wife, committed suicide in 1978. His third marriage, to South Africa's first Miss World Anneline Kriel, ended amid rumours of stormy rows. In 1989 Mr Kerzner had a heart attack.

His doctor told him not to come back until he had given up his 60 cigarettes a day, cut the alcohol and reduced his coffee and tea intake.

Mr Kerzner later got together with model Christina Estrada. They became engaged but she waited seven years in vain for him to marry her. She was dumped for her best friend, Heather Murphy, who became his fourth wife.

Two years ago Mr Kerzner turned his attention to Britain with a Pounds 9.6 million move for London Clubs International and plans for three casinos.

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