Jacob Zuma’s former son-in-law and tenderpreneur Lonwabo Sambudla and his companies are accused of owing the Durban-based leading advisory company, AngloWealth Shari’ah, more than R3-million.
AngloWealth has filed a lawsuit against Sambudla and his businesses, IMS Call Solutions and Mobi Systems Solutions, for failing to make payments on three high-end vehicles he had leased from the Umhlanga-based business.
The tenderpreneur had entered into an agreement with AngloWealth that he needed to lease a 2021 Bentley Flying Spur.
The UK-based motor manufacturer’s powerful and opulent vehicle is worth R5-million. He also acquired a 2022 Ferrari 812 Sport car worth over R8-million.
In addition, Sambudla also rented a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge valued at more than R10-million.
Defaulting on payments
In the court documents that we have seen, Sambudla, who married Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma in 2011 at a ceremony that took place at Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve near East London in the Eastern Cape, was hauled to court for defaulting on payments for the lease of the three vehicles.
“During or about October 2022 and at Durban and Sandton, the applicant and the first and second respondents, duly represented by the third respondent, concluded three lease or rent-to-own agreements in terms of which the respondents would be paying certain amounts monthly to the applicant,” read the court documents in part.
Furthermore, AngloWealth told the court that Sambudla and his companies were liable to pay a monthly rental fee of R159 746.20 for a Bentley, R310 514.38 for a Ferrari, and R455 286.38 for a Rolls Royce per month.
However, AngloWealth stated that Sambudla failed to honour the contract.
“The respondents took possession of the three motor vehicles, and the same are still in their possession,” according to the court documents.
“The third respondent [Sambudla] bound himself as surety and co-principal debtor in solidum with the first and second respondents in respect of their obligations to the applicant arising from the three rental agreements.”
Letters of demand
According to AngloWealth, Sambudla defaulted after he failed to pay for the vehicles for the months of August, September, October, November, and December 2023, setting him back to owe the company an amount of R3 241 929.50 in arrears.
AngloWealth, which also has interests in the petroleum, diesel, and oil trades, granting of trade, and asset finance, including the supply and processing of coal, sent a letter of demand to Sambudla and his companies on December 23 2023 to demand more than R3-million to be paid in 14 days.
However, Sambudla and his entities failed to respond or adhere to the demands of AngloWealth, resulting in the company sending another letter of demand on January 10.
In the letter, the company wrote that the agreement had been cancelled and that Sambudla should return the vehicles to the company by January 12.
Accordingly, the court documents also revealed that Sambudla made two payments on January 23 and 31 this year to settle arrears emanating from December.
In his response, Sambudla told the court that AngloWealth knew that he and his companies have been in arrears since August 2023, and yet the applicant had only decided on filing an urgent application five months later.
AngloWealth’s application dismissed
“The applicant has always known where the motor vehicles are, as they have them in their possession, according to reports of the tracker system,” reads Sambudla’s response.
“The motor vehicles have been insured with Discovery, and the applicants noted such policies, meaning that there is no risk.”
He added that in a letter dated January 20 2024, AngloWealth confirmed having the tracking reports that detailed the whereabouts of the vehicles.
“On the merits, the respondents raised the issue that there is a dispute as regards the correctness of the areas as of December 2023 and that what they paid in January this year settled the arrears, so there was no basis to unilaterally cancel the agreement.”
Sambudla and his companies got a reprieve when Judge Motsamai Makume dismissed AngloWealth’s application on Thursday.
During his wedding to Zuma’s daughter, Sambudla’s guests included high-profile businessman Vivian Reddy and his TV star wife, Sorisha, tenderpreneurs and politicians such as Zizi Kodwa, Chief Mandla Mandela, Blade Nzimande, Susan Shabangu, Jeff Radebe, and Naledi Pandor, as well as celebrities including Khanyi Mbau, Somizi Mhlongo, and comedian David Kau.
