EBET OWNERSHIP ROW

MBABANE – A dispute has arisen over the ownership of sports betting company, SwaziBet, trading as EBet.

As a result, Nonjabuliso Maziya, who says she is the director of the company, has approached her lawyers, Khumalo Attorneys, and instructed them to write to the two South Africans who are currently running EBet in Eswatini, to inform them about the termination of their alleged agreement. On June 28, 2023, Maziya, through her attorney, Mlungisi Khumalo of Khumalo Attorneys, addressed a letter to Ioannis Cavilitis and Willen Joseph Delport of Springs and Cape Town in South Africa, to inform them about the termination of their agreement with EBet. The letter states that the agreement to run EBet was to be terminated on July 12, 2023. “It will be illegal for you to continue trading with Swazibet t/a EBet as of the July 12, 2023. Further, our client instructs that you are advised to inform all your clients and business partners about the cancellation of the agreement. Our client will not be held liable for any debts accumulated during this process.

Notice

“Furthermore, we will put a notice in the local newspapers to inform the public about these developments. It is well-known that you are currently running the company as non-formal shadow directors and bearer shareholders. That is in contravention of the Money Laundering Act and the Counter Terrorism Act,” wrote Nonjabuliso’s attorney. It is alleged in the letter that the names of Calivitis and Joseph do not appear in any of the company documents, ‘but you are running the company to the exclusion of our client’. “Please note that the Companies Act does not provide for such conduct. Our client stands to suffer a lot from any decision that you may take and you will not suffer any consequences since you are not directors or shareholders of the company. In light of these pertinent facts, our client has decided to cancel the oral agreement she has with yourselves,” further reads the letter.

On July 3, 2023, Ioannis Cavilitis and Delport Willen Joseph, through Sibusiso Shongwe of Sibusiso B. Shongwe and Associates, responded to Nonjabuliso’s letter. They alleged that SwaziBet (PTY) LTD is a company owned by the estate of the late Mduduzi Cyprian Maziya and currently the Maziya extended family and deceased’s children were handling the affairs of the estate. Shongwe said the law firm was currently the attorneys of record for the Maziya family and SwaziBet.

Agreement

He alleged that Calivitis and Delport were the subject of a partnership agreement with the Maziya family and 90 per cent of the children of the late Mduduzi. “It is this partnership agreement that has given life to the operations of SwaziBet (PTY) LTD after the death of Mduduzi Maziya, who died with the company not being a going concern but only existing on paper. Your client has never contributed a cent towards the setting up of the company and she certainly cannot seek to derive any benefit from the company. “It has only been through the effort and investment of the Maziya family as well as Mr  Ioannis Calivitis and Mr Willem Delport that the company is a going concern today and your client will not be allowed to steal and/or benefit from the hard work and sweat of our clients,” Shongwe wrote. He further stated that there is an appeal before the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, over the decision of the Gaming Board to recognise Nonjabuliso as the lawful wife of the late Mduduzi. When sough for comment, Shongwe said he would not comment on the matter because it was pending before the minister.

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