Free State businessman Duma Mdlayedwa Mthombeni is alleging that two entrepreneurs have deployed a hitman on him.
However, the two entrepreneurs, Robert Madie and Lebohang “Mbuu” Tsotetsi, have denied Mdlayedwa’s allegations, labelling them fictitious.
This comes after Mthombeni, who is the husband of the ANC regional chairperson and Ngwathe local municipality mayor, Victoria de Beer-Mthombeni, had instituted a lawsuit of R10-million against two Free State businessmen and their joint venture, Moroka JV Mbunana.
Defamation suit over R3m bribery claims
Mthombeni’s lawyers, Vana Tshabalala Attorneys, had sent a letter of demand to Madie and Tsotetsi. In it they are demanding R10-million from the construction businessmen for defaming their client, Mthombeni. Madie and Tsotetsi are in a joint venture partnership in the R58-million tender in the Mafube local municipality. The contract is a water reticulation project in Frankfort, Free State.
Last month, Madie wrote a damning letter, where he claimed that Mthombeni, the Mafube chief whip, and the ANC regional secretary, alongside the regional chairperson, had demanded that he pay R3-million into the business account of Skybuild (Mthombeni’s company). He said Mthombeni wanted the money to be donated to the ANC in the region.
However, Madie managed to pay only R400, 000 into Skybuild. He later decided to write the letter, which landed on the desk of Mafube mayor, Tlhoare Motsoeneng. In the letter he claimed that he and Tsotetsi, alongside their business, Moroka JV Mbunana, were being extorted by Mthombeni and the ANC leaders over the project they got from the municipality.
Threats from unknown inkabi
On Wednesday, Mthombeni claimed that he received a text message from an inkabi (hitman) known as Ally. The inkabi said that he had been looking for the mayor’s husband.
The supposed inkabi’s message, which Sunday World has seen, reads: “Xo Mdayedwa Mthombeni @Skybuild. We hv been trying to trace u… I therefore request that u pay back the 400k that u extorted from construction companies Moroka Buildings m (sic) Mbunana on 01/12/2024 within six hours, other than, we shall meet soon. Thank you.”
In the screenshot, Mthombeni tried to call back the alleged inkabi. Instead, he was sent the proof of payment that showed Madie’s R400,000 payment to Skybuild.
Speaking to Sunday World on Wednesday, Mthombeni said that he was shocked to get the message. But he had escalated the matter and handed the text and the contact number to his lawyers. They will help him to open a criminal case.
Security compromised
“My security is now compromised. And these guys from Moroka JV Mbunana are making death threats by sending izinkabi to me. They said that the matter is handled by the Hawks [from] the last time you published the story regarding this issue of R3-million claims. We sent them a letter demanding R10-million after they had defamed me.
“Now they see that I am not backing down on my demand. They resort to tactics of sending an inkabi with an intention to threaten me. They’re even giving me six hours deadline to submit to their demand.
“These guys are now resorting to extort me and threaten me. I am still standing on my demands, because they lied about me. And what they are now doing is criminality. Now that their lies are not growing legs, they resort to criminality. They think that they can threaten me with their inkabi so that I can abandon the R10-million I demanded. That will never happen,” said Mthombeni.
Businessmen deny inkabi allegations
Tsotetsi said he and Madie knew nothing about the inkabi story that Mthombeni is talking about.
“As explained before, that matter is now with the Hawks for investigation. And we were interviewed by the police. Mthombeni is creating his own stories regarding this case.
“If he has nothing to hide, he must wait for law enforcement to do their job. We don’t know anything about the alleged inkabi he is talking about. We lost R400, 000 and that’s fine, we will make another one in the future. He must just stop making up stories and creating his own fiction,” said Tsotetsi.
The whole drama between Mthombeni, ANC leaders in Fezile Dabi, and Madie and Tsotetsi surfaced on March 5. This was over allegations of extortion that Moroka JV Mbunana should pay R3-million towards the ANC in the region. If he failed to do so, the R58-million contract awarded to Moroka JV Mbunana was going to be cancelled by Mafube. This is according to the allegations.
