At the Madlanga Commission, Day 8: February 9th
The chamber was hushed, the air thick with procedural formality. Advocate Khemraj Behari, representing the SIU, delivered his testimony with measured gravity. He spoke of a labyrinthine investigation into the City of Ekurhuleni’s event sponsorship grants—funds intended for community upliftment, now under the microscope.
Then came the pivot.
“Chairperson,” Behari stated, consulting his notes, “our preliminary report indicates linkages between certain disbursements and individuals who were not the intended beneficiaries. Among those identified in the documentation are Mr. Sbusiso ‘DJ Sbu’ Leope and Mr. Thembinkosi Nciza.”
A ripple went through the public gallery. The linkage, he suggested, was part of a broader pattern where due process was allegedly circumvented, and political influence was wielded to steer lucrative contracts. He alluded to a probe that had been stifled, its findings buried in a maze of bureaucratic resistance.
The Immediate Rebuttal
Leope’s response was not a carefully crafted PR statement released hours later. It was a swift, seismic roar across social media and to every journalist who called.
“These allegations are not only false but profoundly defamatory,” his statement began, its tone vibrating with a blend of fury and incredulity. “I have built my career and businesses on a foundation of integrity, hard work, and transparency. At no point have I been the beneficiary of any improper grants from the City of Ekurhuleni or any other municipality.”
He emphasized his role as a job creator, a mentor on The Tumelo Show, and an entrepreneur whose ventures, like MoFaya, were built from the ground up. “To suggest otherwise is to disrespect every young South African who sees my journey as proof that success is earned,” he continued. He categorically denied any involvement with Thembinkosi Nciza in the context of municipal grants and reserved his full legal rights, promising to clear his name “through every available channel.”
Day 9: The Unraveling Cross-Examination – February 10th
If Day 8 was about the allegation, Day 9 was about the accuser. Behari returned to the stand, but this time, he faced a forensic and relentless cross-examination from the legal teams representing various implicated parties.
The Advocate’s own testimony began to fissure. He was pressed on the precise nature of the “linkage” he had mentioned. Was it a direct payment? A contractual agreement? A minutes-of-meeting entry?
Behari conceded, under sustained questioning, that the “link” was circumstantial—names appearing in broad documentation trails, not evidence of direct receipt of funds. Inconsistencies between his oral testimony and the written SIU reports were laid bare. He was forced to acknowledge previous statements he had made that were, by his own updated account, inaccurate or incomplete.
Most damning was the admission that, regarding Leope and Nciza, there was—as yet—no direct, publicly verifiable evidence such as bank statements, signed contracts, or approved payment vouchers tabled before the commission. The “link” was presented as an investigatory lead, not a proven fact.
The Lingering Shadow
As the hearings adjourned, a cloud of ambiguity remained. The commission’s work was ongoing, and Behari’s challenged testimony did not equate to a full exoneration for anyone. It did, however, dramatically shift the terrain.
For DJ Sbu, the episode had morphed from a shocking accusation into a brutal public test. The denial was just his opening statement. His team, he confirmed, was now meticulously reviewing years of business records, readying for a possible legal battle for defamation or, if the commission required it, his own appearance on the stand.
Thembinkosi Nciza maintained a lower public profile but was understood to be preparing a similar robust defense.
Political analysts watching the proceedings noted a familiar script: allegations of high-level interference, a whistleblower’s account facing intense scrutiny, and reputations dangling in the balance. The true target, it seemed, was not necessarily the individuals named, but a system allegedly riddled with patronage.
For the public, the story was now a tense dichotomy. On one side, a respected advocate’s narrative of systemic corruption is now partially wounded. On the other, a self-made icon’s furious defense of his life’s work. The Madlanga Commission had promised a journey toward truth, but its path was proving to be one of switchbacks and sudden drops.
As the weekend settled over the country, DJ Sbu’s social media, usually a torrent of motivational quotes and business energy, was uncharacteristically quiet. The silence was deafening. The next track in this saga was not his to choose, but his response to it would define the beat for years to come. The dance with allegations had begun, and it was anything but a party.
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