A R187-million payout that Lebo M is set to receive from the US for the sale of his music catalogue is the reason the Lion King producer dumped his wife Pretty Samuels like a hot potato.
Samuels revealed this to her close associates, from whom she sought advice after Lebo M, real name Lebohang Morake, refused to pay her spousal maintenance pending the outcome of their divorce proceedings in the Joburg High Court.
The associates, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, said Morake kicked Samuels to the kerb because he is due to receive $10-million from a US-based company interested in purchasing his lucrative catalogue.
“She believes that this offer of $10-million has destroyed her marriage, as Lebo is of the view that she would seek an equitable stake in such an amount.
“She said this was the explanation that she could possibly offer for the sudden shift in the behaviour of Lebo, who she has known for at least 10 years,” said the associates.
Samuel poured her heart out to them, said the associates, and told them that she started dating Morake after the demise of his turbulent marriage to Angela Casara.
They said that in or around August 2021, Morake proposed that they consummate their relationship by moving in together, to which she agreed.
They later moved to Taiwan in December, and when they returned to South Africa, they formalised their relationship culturally. The associates claim Morake approached her family in KwaZulu-Natal on December 19, 2021, and lobola negotiations took place.
Afterwards, Morake partially complied with his cultural obligations by paying a sum of R20 000 to her family and further undertook to gift her, among other things, a piece of land in Glenvista, southern Johannesburg. However, he failed to fulfil his promise.
The associates further said in February 2022, Samuels and Morake registered their union and stayed in a nine-bedroom mansion in Blair Athol, Joburg, which she could aptly describe as “fit for a king”.
In or around August 2021, Morake allegedly requested that she leave her employment and placed her strategically as his “right hand man” in his businesses named Lebo M Production and Lebo M Foundation, where she played an integral role, said the associates.
At the time Pretty Samuels was employed by the Department of Transport and was a joint director of an entity called “MC Samuels”.
They said that during a happier time, Morake deposited large sums of money into her account for her personal wants and the general upkeep of the family home. “This was done as a symbol of affection and a manifestation of his commitment to her,” they said.
The associates said that for her role in Lebo M is Home show, which aired on Showmax, she was paid R225 000, which she used to renovate Morake’s apartment in Craigavon, Johanneburg. As part of the production arrangement they leased a property in Waterfall Estate.
They said that last year, Morake unilaterally terminated her access to the Waterfall Estate abode and her financial benefits.
Samuels, they said, currently relies on the help of family and friends for survival. The associates said she wants Morake to support her financially because he receives royalties from Disney for his music and productions on a monthly basis.
Samuels also wants division of the estate, which includes a R5.5-million property in Pearls of Umhlanga, whose bond is R1.5-million, and an unencumbered R1.8-million property in Cedar Acres, Sandton.
They said that, although she does not know his monthly income, Morake should be making at least R1.5-million per month. They said Samuels has gone to court to seek an order to force Morake to pay her R150 000 per month in spousal maintenance. This includes R10 000 per month for holiday allowance, R23 000 for a car instalment, R5 000 for cellphone, R35 000 for rent or bond, and R6 500 for groceries.
She is also demanding R2-million from him to cover her legal costs for their pending divorce. The money would be used, among others, to hire a signature expert to determine whether or not the signature appearing on the ante-nuptial contract Morake submitted to the court, in which he claims they were not married in community of property, is authentic.
Sources close to Morake said he would tell the court that the $10-million deal had not gone through and he was struggling financially.
They also said Morake denied that they were married in community of property, saying had signed an ante-nuptial contract.
He told them that it was not their intention to get married in community of property because of his past marital history and his legacy.
They also allege that Samuels was self-sufficient and was never employed by any of his entities.
