Grammy award-winning composer Lebo M has detailed how his ex-wife, Pretty Samuels, “stole” his Blüthner grand piano worth R1.2-million in an urgent application for an order to force her and the buyer to return the alleged “stolen goods”.
In the application, which is expected to be heard on April 15 in the Joburg High Court, Lebo M, real name Lebohang Morake, said the black piano, which he purchased for R80 000 on June 13, 2008, was kept at Greg Rollinson Pianos storage in Johannesburg.
This was after Samuels, whom he married out of community of property with accrual on February 26, 2022, signed a storage contract with the company on his behalf because she was in possession of his electronic signature.
He said that due to his frequent travels, he had provided Samuels with his electronic signature.
Lebo M further said his company, Lebo M Production, to which he had transferred the piano, continued to pay an R850 storage fee for the musical instrument.
“Upon my overseas trip return, I requested the first respondent to remove my
electronic signature from all her electronic equipment as I had returned. She did not do so.
“During March 2024, the first respondent and I entered into a divorce settlement agreement.
“In terms of Clause 5.2, movable property, the plaintiff [applicant] would retain sole and exclusive property of all furniture, vehicles, and personal effects that are in his possession,” he states in the court papers.
Lebo M said the piano was in possession of his company and did not form part of the settlement agreement, which was made an order of court in December 2024.
“As a result of the settlement agreement and of the piano storage contract, the first respondent did not have the right of ownership or possession of my movable property during and after the conclusion of the settlement agreement,” read the papers.
On or about April 14, 2024, Samuels attempted to remove the grand piano from the storage facility to Erin’s address on Fairmount Avenue in Fairmount, Johannesburg.
Samuels had already secured a buyer for the grand piano and wanted it to be delivered from the storage facility to the buyer’s address without Morake’s knowledge and consent.
On or about May 4, 2024, he said, Samuels fraudulently misrepresented him
and instructed Gayle Macsorely from Gayle On The Move Pianos to collect the piano from the storage.
“My grand piano has since been in the storage facilities for more than two years. As the rightful owner and possessor of the grand piano, I did not authorise the first respondent to remove it from the storage facilities without my knowledge and consent.
“I only became aware that the grand piano was no longer in the storage facilities as I was about to start preparing for the concert to be held on 18 April 2025 in Cape Town.
“The piano is a critical feature in the concert to be played by Oscar and Grammy award-winning global icon Hans Zimmer with special lighting and set design,” he said.
He said on March 28, 2025, as he was finalising the preparations for the concert, he instructed his employee, Khanyi Serakoeng, and her team to collect the piano from the storage facilities.
“Upon arrival, they were informed that the grand piano had since been collected by Gayle’s On The Move Pianos per instruction of the first respondent.
“I immediately contacted Ms Gayle, who then provided me with the WhatsApp communication between her and the first respondent.”
Lebo M said Gayle confirmed that on May 4, 2024, Samuels instructed her to collect the piano from the storage facilities and deliver it to Erin.
