Kwaito star and producer Arthur Mafokate’s alleged involvement in the misappropriation of the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has reignited hatred between him and his former recording label manager Brian Mokoena.
After the National Prosecuting Authority’s Assets Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) obtained a preservation order last month to expropriate five properties, including Mafokate’s multimillion-rand Villa Rosa guest house in Carlswald, Midrand, his former friend-turned-enemy Mokoena, added salt to his wounds.
Mafokate’s non-profit organisation, the South African Art and Development Association, was also implicated in the misappropriation of funds. The SIU alleges that five NPOs, including Mafokate’s, received funding of about R56-million meant for community development projects.
After the announcement, Mokoena said he knew all along that Mafokate’s time would come.
In a leaked recording, which Sunday World listened to, the disgruntled former music executive could be heard saying he is the former COO of 999 Music and Road Show Marketing, which he said are companies owned by Mafokate.
In his rant, Mokoena referred to Mafokate as a former postman from Lebowakgomo.
“I know anything that needs to be known about Arthur and how he operates, and how a number of people were destroyed by him. A couple of years back when I couldn’t take it anymore, when I decided to resign, I got a call from him, and he was crying regarding an issue involving CiCi [Busisiwe Thwala].
“I stayed on and after two months I finally left 999 Music. Arthur kept on following me trying to destroy me. He even went to the extent of taking the telephone number of my ex-wife giving it to some of my enemies in this industry to try to concoct stories against me,” said Mokoena in the recording he released on Friday.
“There were a number of people who knew about the issue of R9.5-million. I don’t wanna talk about the case of the gun, which he opened, and some contracts he got in the Free State. That’s a story for another day. I have been waiting for this day, as I eventually went to the Hawks to lay a complaint.
“Today the labour to expose the biggest thief within the arts sector in South Africa did bear fruit. Mafokate you have been chowing the nation’s money, but today it stops here.”
Mafokate’s NPO stands accused with organisations such as Taung Cultural Music and Art Expo, Dinosys, Matieni Community Centre and Zibsicraft.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said its investigations revealed the acquisition of the preserved properties was funded by the NPOs, including the posh guest house which Mafokate bought for R6-million.
“The SIU investigations revealed that the acquisition of the preserved properties was funded by the NPOs with money they had received under auspices of grant funding from the NLC. The properties therefore constitute the proceeds of unlawful activities, hence the application for a preservation order pending the final determination of the application for final forfeiture,” said Kganyago.
Yesterday Mokoena said he was the one who took action and went to report Mafokate’s shenanigans.“I am not bitter, but I wrote an affidavit alerting the authorities about all these things he has been doing fraudulently. The recording that you have serves as an assurance to people that should anything happen to me people should know that it’s him.
“I am thrilled that the wheels of justice are finally turning, and it’s only the beginning because there’s a lot that Arthur did, and people think he’s a saint. I’m still going to reveal many lies about him. The first is that he can’t produce, he hires people to do that and then claims the work.
“Arthur must go to jail because this is not the only thing he has done. He is like cancer to society. Why did he apply for the R20 000 from the department of arts and culture during the Covid pandemic, when he has millions stacked in accounts he has in his children’s names?” asked Mokoena.
In June 2019, Sunday World broke the story regarding allegations that Mafokate had allegedly embezzled R6-million from Saada’s NLC funding and bought the exclusive guest house for himself.
At the time of going to print, Mafokate could not be reached. WhatsApp and text messages were also ignored.
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