‘Beneficiaries said Bongekile was not their father’s daughter’

MBABANE – Manzini Deputy Master Nkosiyazi Zikalala says the beneficiaries said Bongekile Sibandze was not their father’s daughter, so they wanted the money paid to her, provisionally.

Zikalala said there was a meeting of the Shongwe family last year after the former executor, Sandile Shongwe, resigned. The intention, according to Zikalala, was to appoint a new executor.

“Sandile resigned in May 2023 and we met in July. The beneficiaries were present. Make (Busisiwe Malindzisa), was appointed together with Telukhetfo Shongwe as co-executrixes. Malindzisa is said to have wanted Telukhetfo to be appointed because she (Malindzisa) is in a wheelchair.”

Zikalala told the commission that the siblings stated that Sibandze was not their father’s daughter. In the approved distribution accounts, Sibandze was issued cheques, albeit provisionally.

“They said her mother died and the executor wrote an affidavit to say she was not their father’s child. She was included in the death notice. Maqhawe’s (whose paternity is being questioned) matter was not discussed.

“I asked why the file was not closed as the children who are now grown. They said they did not understand how the monies were spent,” said Zikalala.

Distribution

According to the assistant master, four distribution accounts were approved. She said there was E7 000 in Mandlenkhosi’s bank account at Swaziland Building Society and the rentals were at that time amounting to E61 000.

She said distributing the money, the master took into consideration the ages of the beneficiaries and there were two children who were below the ages of 18 years. Zikalala said the first distribution account was approved in 2018.

In the second distribution account, according to Zikalala, there was E82 000 in January 2020, to be distributed among six beneficiaries. She said the two children, including Maqhawe, and Lwazi received E14 000 and E12 000 respectively, and the other beneficiaries received E8 000. The assistant master said the first and second distribution was deposited in the Guardian Fund.

The fourth distribution was done on January 25, 2023.

The siblings, according to Zikalala, enquired about the money in the Guardian Fund.

“They said since Bongekile is not their fathers daughter, they wanted the money. I advised that an executor should be appointed. I found out that in the Guardian Fund there was the first and second distribution account money. Only Bongekile’s provisional distribution money was in the Guardian Fund,” she said.

Judge Lorraine Hlophe asked why the master did the provisional distribution, because Sibandze was not Mandlenkhosi’s daughter.

According to the assistant master, Sibandze was included in the death notice. “She told me that she knew herself to be a Shongwe,” said Zikalala.

One of the beneficiaries, Gugu Shongwe, told the commission no money was distributed in 2018. She alleged that the first distribution was made during the COVID-19 period.

Wondered

Gugu wondered how there was E88 000 in the first distribution, because there had been two to three years of non-distribution and she expected there to be more money.

The Chairperson of the commission, Judge Majahenkhaba Dlamini, said those who had concerns should approach the Master’s Office to verify from the relevant documents what happened. Sibandze’s half-sister, Telukhetfo, concurred.

Bongekile told the commission that she was aware that she was not a Shongwe. “They make it as if I demanded to be a beneficiary. Gugu accused me of forcing kungena

emasend**ni ababe Shongwe. This is not how I chose to be born. At the Master’s Office they said I must write affidavit explaining my situation. Telukhetfo changed the story and said I wanted to take the Shongwe family to court. I was surprised.”

Judge Dlamini said if Mandlenkhosi raised her as his daughter, ‘who can now say she is not a Shongwe?. I’m just asking. Bantfwana abatingeni tindzaba taboyise nabo nina’.

Meanwhile, the widow, Busisiwe Malindzisa, told the commission that Maqhawe suffered a lot and at times spent some nights on the roof tops. She said he was treated badly at the homestead and he was rescued by Children’s Cup. Telukhetfo also complained about being mistreated at the Master’s Office. She also told the commission that she and the co-executor did not agree on a number of things.

Judge Dlamini said those who wanted Maqhawe to undergo a DNA test, should ensure that it was done.