Moja Love presenter Xolani Maphanga has been released on R5 000 bail.
Maphanga, who is the new presenter of Sizok’thola, and the director and owner of Tshenolo Private Investigation, Bongani Mkhabela, appeared at the Soshanguve magistrate’s court on Monday, where they were granted bail of R5 000 each.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the pair is facing three counts of attempted murder and trespassing. Attempted murder is a schedule-five offence.
Warrant of arrest
“It is alleged that on March 14 2024, the two, together with other crew members of Moja Love that have not been identified, went to the complainant’s house in Soshanguve looking for drugs that they allege the complainant was selling,” said Mahanjana.
“When they could not find the drugs, it is alleged that the two started to assault a woman who is a complainant in the matter with a sjambok, chocked her with a taser, and further suffocated her brother.”
Mahanjana said the woman reported the matter to the police three days after the attack.
“After investigations by the police, the two handed themselves over to the police on April 9 2024, after a warrant of arrest was issued against them.”
The state did not oppose the pair’s release on bail; however, the state asked the court to impose conditions that the two should not communicate directly or indirectly with the witnesses and that they should report to their closest police station once a week.
The matter was postponed to May 21 for further investigation.
Unnamed politician cited
Moja Love previously stated that the channel stands by Maphanga, adding that there has been external influence from a certain unnamed politician who is putting pressure on the police to act on the matter.
The channel’s spokesperson, Nonzwakazi Cekete, said last week that Maphanga told them that it was a case of mistaken identity, adding that he did not assault anyone during filming of the show.
“To cooperate with law enforcement, the presenter handed himself to the Soshanguve police station … along with a member of the security detail,” Cekete said.
