New texts revealed in bizarre kidnap case

WhatsApps show attempts to force R5m payment in alleged tender conspiracy

● WhatsApp messages between former Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) CEO Phineas Legodi and Limpopo businessman Matome “Falaz” Sefalafala reveal how the two men allegedly plotted to intimidate the board’s then acting CEO into paying a R5m invoice for a contract that had been ruled illegal.

The messages form part of a police investigation into the alleged kidnapping of the acting CEO, Ahuiwi Netshidaulu. Legodi and Sefalafala have been charged with the kidnapping.

Two weeks ago, the Sunday Times revealed chilling details of the bizarre kidnapping case, in which Sefalafala allegedly hired two police officers to “arrest” Netshidaulu under false pretences in November 2020.

Evidence gathered by the police shows that the two officers, David Mkhabela and Gideon Matlala from Pretoria, were hired by Sefalafala, and that Mkhabela was paid R48,000 to provide muscle and help fabricate and execute a bogus arrest warrant. Mkhabela has since died, while Matlala is charged alongside Sefalafala and Legodi.

A falling out ensued between Sefalafala, Mkhabela and unknown people who sent text messages to Sefalafala threatening to kill Mkhabela if Sefalafala did not pay them the R350,000 they said they had been promised for their part in the alleged abduction.

Today, the Sunday Times can reveal the details of the WhatsApp messages between Sefalafala and Legodi, which show how they allegedly conspired to force Netshidaulu to pay Sefalafala’s R5m invoice.

The messages seen by the Sunday Times were sent in October and November 2020, before the kidnapping. They show that the two were frustrated by Netshidaulu’s reluctance to pay the R5m invoice after the Limpopo High Court had ruled that Sefalafala’s company, Falaz Trading, had been unlawfully appointed in a R45m hazardous waste tender during Legodi’s tenure.

“I want to f*** up Venda man [Netshidaulu] Monday. I don’t like guys who mess with me and even undermine you. Allow me to f*** him up,” Sefalafala says in a message to Legodi. Legodi responds: “True ... He is undermining this bastard.” Sefalala then continues to ask for Legodi’s permission to teach Netshidaulu a lesson. But Legodi says: “Come down plis.”

As days go by and Netshidaulu does not budge on paying the R5m, Legodi suggests that Sefalafala should send someone to deal with him. “Get your guy to call him for a meeting tmrw. He must harass him strongly,” says Legodi.

This was after Sefalafala had sent Legodi a WhatsApp saying he had sent Netshidaulu a letter from the police confirming that there was no investigation against Sefalafala’s company — a letter Netshidaulu suspected to be fraudulent. He still refused to pay.

In the WhatsApp messages Legodi, who seems to have access to an insider at LNW, is adamant that only Netshidaulu can release the payment, not the board or the CFO. Legodi constantly gives Sefalafala feedback via WhatsApp and they arrange physical meetings. This week, Legodi declined to comment after receiving detailed questions from the Sunday Times, dismissing them as “sheer nonsense that does not merit” a response.

Sefalafala said he knew Legodi before he became LNW CEO and that he [Sefalafala] had contracts at the water board before Legodi was appointed. “I only spoke to him to vent my frustrations as my grootman, that I wasn’t getting paid by Lepelle even though I had done work. The truth is Ahuiwi was not kidnapped and he is the one who phoned me after he pleaded with those police not to arrest him, and he said he will pay, which he did voluntarily,” said Sefalafala.

“I was not bribing him [Mkhabela], he asked for my help with his sangoma initiation. I did not hire him. I don’t even know those guys who were threatening me, but I heard that they were dangerous criminals. I never even paid them because they were trying to extort me by trying to make me believe that they were working with the cops.

“Even when I said to them I was going to Dubai I was just bluffing, hoping they’ll leave me alone. No-one was killed. This has affected my business badly and it is a lie. I am going to sue Lepelle and those who are behind this.”

Sefalafala said he had been caught in the crossfire by individuals who wanted to get rid of Legodi at LNW and were trying to use him to achieve that.

In one of the WhatsApp messages, Legodi says Netshidaulu was playing mind games because he had not given then CFO Bongi Mathevula the go-ahead to pay the R5m that Sefalafala claimed was outstanding.

Mathevula had in July paid out R5.6m of the R12.4m invoiced by Sefalafala’s company Falaz without the authority of the board and without consulting with Netshidaulu, despite the court ruling that the company was not entitled to any payments from the water board.

In November, when Sefalafala told Legodi that Netshidaulu had blocked him from all his cellphone platforms, Legodi took it upon himself to follow up on the payment.

“Let’s follow up from cfo ... Let me follow up ... He is CEO. He must stop involving board in admin matters,” said Legodi.

He suggested that Sefalafala should approach then board chair Joe Mathebula so that the payment could be made. But when Sefalafala asked Mathebula via WhatsApp to intervene, Mathebula turned him down. Sefalafala also updated Legodi each time the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) called him as part of their investigations into LNW. In one instance, Sefalafala shares his location at the SIU with Legodi and says: “They called me to come urgently ... Too many questions and they have answers already.” Legodi responds that he should be careful and stay strong and should have a lawyer with him.

The SIU attached Legodi’s properties and froze his pension of more than R2m during its investigation of LNW contracts. The SIU alleges that Legodi oversaw the awarding of a multimillion-rand contract to ANC benefactor and businessman Thula Majola’s company LTE Consulting without following procurement processes, resulting in the state losing R91m. The case will be heard in the Special Tribunal later in 2024.

Legodi, Sefalafala and Matlala will appear in the Limpopo High Court in two weeks on charges of kidnapping and extortion. The other accused in the case of tender fraud and corruption, charged together with Sefalafala and Legodi, are Gumani Gangashe, Mpho Chokolo, Vusi Mhlongo and former Lepelle bid evaluation committee chair Ngwako Micheal Moseamedi.

I want to f*** up

Venda man [Netshidaulu] Monday. I don’t like guys who mess with me Matome ‘Falaz’ Sefalafala Limpopo businessman