Times Of Swaziland: EBET LICENCE HOLDER’S ESTATE: DIVIDENDS NOT REMITTED

EBET LICENCE HOLDER’S ESTATE: DIVIDENDS NOT REMITTED
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Kwanele Dlamini on 28/02/2024 08:58:00


MBABANE – The real issue in the yet-to-be wound up estate of the late initial
licence holder of eBet, Mduduzi Maziya, is who pockets the dividends.
This is according to Manzini Assistant Master Makhosazane Mdluli, who was
responding to concerns raised by Mduduzi’s relatives, Nelisiwe and Nkululeko
Maziya yesterday, when they appeared before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry
into the Master’s Office affairs. Nelisiwe and Nkululeko alleged that
Nonjabuliso Maziya’s marriage certificate was forged and that she was not
lawfully married to Mduduzi. They accused Mdluli of appointing Nonjabuliso, who
is now a Director of 8Bet, as the executor of Mduduzi’s estate. They alleged
that the assistant master appointed the executrix in their absence. Nelisiwe and
Nkululeko appeared before the commission, together with their legal
representative, Kwendza’kufani Ginindza of Sibusiso B. Shongwe and Associates.
Application
Ginindza told the commission that there was a court application for the removal
of the executrix, Nonjabuliso, challenging the validity of the latter’s
marriage certificate and declaring her marriage to Mduduzi bigamous. However,
Nonjabuliso’s attorney, Mlungisi Khumalo, of Khumalo Attorneys, denied that
there was a court application to that effect. The veracity of these allegations
is still to be tested by the commission. Some of the individuals and/or
representatives of the entities might be summoned to appear before the
commission. According to Assistant Master Mdluli, it would seem that her
appointment of Nonjabuliso as the executrix was the cause of the problems in the
estate, however, the real issue is the dividends of eBet; who benefits from
them? Mdluli told the commission that Nonjabuliso reported Mduduzi’s estate on
September 3, 2020. She said the deceased owned a house at Fairview in Manzini
and another in Maputo, Mozambique.
He was said to have also owned four motor vehicles, including a tractor and he
had no money in the bank. The death notice, according to Mdluli, reflected that
Mduduzi and Nonjabuliso were married and had two children. Mduduzi had 10
children in total. Mdluli said the first next of kin meeting was scheduled for
October 6, 2020, and it did not proceed. The Maziya family is said to have
alleged that Mduduzi had a wife, Lindiwe Mbhele, who was residing in the
Republic of South Africa. Mdluli informed the commission that the family failed
to produce proof of the purported marriage.
appear
“We gave them a chance to come with the wife or she must write a letter
stating what should happen. The Maziya family didn’t come back and in 2021
they didn’t appear at the master’s office. Nonjabuliso always came to our
offices when we called them.  She came with her two children.’’ She further
informed the commission that they called another meeting on June 6, 2022 and
further advertised it in the newspapers. She said each time a meeting was
called, Nonjabuliso would attend, but the others would not. Mdluli said in a
certain instance, she gave the family 30 days to come to a meeting after one
Lindokuhle Shongwe had reported that the family was bereaved, resulting in
meeting that had been called at the time to be postponed.
appointed
After the 30 days, said Mdluli, they failed to meet, but only Nonjabuliso and
her children arrived. She said in a meeting of July 14, 2022, she appointed
Nonjabuliso as the executrix of the estate. Shortly afterwards, Mdluli stated
that members of the Maziya family arrived but the purported wife, Mbhele, was
not present. “I told them that I had appointed Nonjabuliso. Make Mbhele was
not present. They did not bring Make Mbhele’s marriage certificate. They
raised the issue of Nonjabuliso’s marriage certificate, which they said was
forged. I suspended her appointment pending verification of the allegations.
They agreed to bring Make Mbhele, because they were complaining that make
Nonjabuliso was not the rightful wife. Make Nonjabuliso complained that a lot
was happening in the file.
“It transpired that Mduduzi was the Director of Swazi Bet and dividends were
being paid but not remitted to the Master’s Office, such that school fees were
not paid,” said Mdluli.
The assistant master said she wrote to the Births Marriages and Deaths (BMD)
Department in the Ministry of Home Affairs, to verify the authenticity of the
marriage certificate and the result was that it was authentic. The marriage of
Nonjabuliso and Mduduzi, according to Mdluli was registered as the first wife
for both of them. She said when she arrived in the marriage, Gladys and Mduduzi
were divorced and he moved on to remarry and have children in the new marriage.
Marriage
Judge Mzwandile Fakudze told Mdluli that Nelisiwe and Nkululeko were complaining
that Nonjabuliso was the first wife, yet there had been others before her.
Mdluli said marriage certificates were registered at the BMDs Department, not
the Master’s Office. Mdluli said none of the Maziyas was interested in
attending meetings at the Master’s Office, except Nonjabuliso. She also said
Nonjabuliso did not stay where Mduduzi’s cars were kept and that it was not
possible for the master to hold a meeting and leave others outside. Nelisiwe
informed the commission that they brought Maseko’s certificate on the first
day and the assistant master said they should approach the umphakatsi, because
the matter was above her.
She wondered how the assistant master could accept a death certificate in the
absence of a marriage certificate.