Latest news with #Motsoeneng
The South African
27-06-2025
- The South African
Bolt data challenges YouTuber's kidnapping allegations
Bolt says it has yet to decide whether it will pursue legal action following the alleged kidnapping of YouTuber Simthande Myeza. The e-hailing company has completed an internal investigation and, based on its platform data, maintains that the incident did not occur during a Bolt trip. Senior General Manager of Bolt South Africa, Lerato Motsoeneng, says the platform takes all safety allegations extremely seriously. 'Based on the available data, we can confirm that the incident described did not occur during a Bolt trip. We also have strong reasons to believe that the drivers who took trips from locations relevant to the incident had nothing to do with the incident,' said Motsoeneng. In a statement released by the platform, Motsoeneng said riders and drivers have no prior knowledge of each other before a match occurs on the app. 'The trip was completed by a driver-partner, and the drop-off point was recorded approximately 114 metres from the originally requested location. This falls within the expected margin of GPS accuracy. We can confirm that the rider and driver were alone in the vehicle,' Motsoeneng said. The platform also suggests that no trip activity was recorded when the alleged incident occurred. Motsoeneng added that Bolt's systems maintain secure and tamper-proof records, which include time stamps and geolocation details. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Umbilo police are investigating a case of kidnapping. He said the incident occurred on Tuesday, 17 June. 'It is reported that the victim requested services of an e-hailing vehicle. However, the driver drove towards a different direction. Along the way, two other men got into the vehicle, and the three men took the victim to a house. He was reportedly made to withdraw an undisclosed amount of money and was also forced to solicit money from family and friends,' added Netshiunda. Bolt says its findings have been shared with the relevant authorities. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
The South African
24-06-2025
- The South African
Bolt reacts to YouTuber's alleged kidnapping
E-hailing company Bolt expressed concern and sympathy following the alleged kidnapping of a YouTuber, Simthande Myeza. He was allegedly abducted in Durban while travelling in a Bolt vehicle. Senior General Manager of Bolt South Africa, Lerato Motsoeneng, described the incident as deeply disturbing. He said Bolt is handling the matter with the utmost seriousness and will fully support the relevant authorities in addressing it. 'Our safety team has reached out to the individual to gather more information and better understand what occurred. While we are still in the process of verifying the trip information, we remain committed to engaging all parties to ensure the matter is thoroughly addressed,' said Motsoeneng. SAFETY REMAINS BOLT'S TOP PRIORITY The e-hailing company says safety is its highest priority. Motsoeneng said Bolt remains deeply committed to ensuring every Bolt ride is a safe and trusted experience. 'We will continue to work closely with the relevant law enforcement authorities and act decisively as soon as we have the information needed to do so,' added Motsoeneng. Myeza's family said the online comedian is safe and currently recovering. The family added that they are allowing the law to take its course. KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Umbilo police are investigating a case of kidnapping. In a statement, the family said that the Bolt driver took the incorrect route before stopping the car. Thereafter, two others held Myeza at gunpoint. The family claimed that they drove Myeza to an unknown location and cleaned out his bank account before demanding a ransom from his family and friends. They also claim that kidnappers stripped him of his clothes and took pictures and videos of him while forcing him to perform acts. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
Daily Maverick
24-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Motsoeneng is ‘abusing the legal process' with latest ConCourt appeal, believes SIU head Mothibi
Is former SABC executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng abusing the legal process by appealing against a ConCourt decision ordering him to pay back money to the entity? The SIU's Andy Mothibi told Parliament he firmly believed this was the case. 'We are of the view that Mr Motsoeneng is really abusing the legal process,' said Andy Mothibi, the head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), about the latest appeal by Hlaudi Motsoeneng against paying back money he unlawfully gained during his tenure as a chief executive at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). The SIU briefed Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) – the public purse watchdog – on its investigations into the SABC and the State Information Technology Agency. Wednesday was the second day of hearings into the affairs of both agencies. On Wednesday, MPs kept raising issues around Motsoeneng and his court attempts to not pay back a 'success fee' for his role in securing a MultiChoice deal. In August 2016, Motsoeneng was paid R11.5-million by the SABC. Eventually, the high court would declare this transaction as unlawful and invalid. Motsoeneng was ordered to repay the R11.5-million – plus interest. This brought the total to about R18-million. Motsoeneng lost an appeal at the Supreme Court to overturn the ruling, as Daily Maverick reported in May 2024. News24 reported in 2024 that an attempt by Motsoeneng to bring the case to the Constitutional Court was rejected on a jurisdictional basis. In Parliament on Wednesday, 23 April 2025, the SIU revealed that Motsoeneng has now applied for leave to appeal against the ConCourt decision, which is being opposed by the SABC and the SIU. According to the SIU, Motsoeneng brought an urgent interdict to stop the SIU and SABC's execution and attachment of his assets. In October 2024, when the SIU's attorneys arrived at court, they found that Motsoeneng's attorneys had not issued and enrolled the urgent stay application. The SIU also said in its presentation to Parliament that on 13 November 2024, it submitted its input on the draft affidavit in Motsoeneng's second application to the ConCourt. During Wednesday's briefing, several MPs raised questions around the issue – even questioning how Motsoeneng could be appointed at the public broadcaster. Ultimately, Mothibi said the SIU was of the view that Motsoeneng was abusing the legal process. Mothibi said while everyone had the right to legal recourse, 'I am of the view that he is abusing the legal process' by going back to the ConCourt, even after the country's highest court had already ruled against him. 'It baffles me,' said Mothibi. He told MPs that he hoped the courts issued 'appropriate costs in that regard'. Daily Maverick tried to contact Motsoeneng – who has now turned to politics, forming his own party called the African Content Movement – for comment, but he did not respond to our communications on Wednesday. This isn't the first time that Mothibi has told Parliament about frustrations with Motsoeneng. In November 2024, News24 reported that Mothibi expressed his frustrations in Parliament with attempts to have Motsoeneng pay back the money. DM
IOL News
23-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
SIU takes aim at Hlaudi Motsoeneng for challenging court findings
The SIU to seek costs against former South African Broadcasting Corporation's CEO Hllaudi Motsoeneng for appealing a ruling of the Constitutional Court Image: Picture: Matthews Baloyi / January 28, 2015 The head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), Andy Mothibi, confirmed on Wednesday that the agency plans to request appropriate costs against former SABC CEO Hlaudi Motsoeneng following his appeal to the Constitutional Court challenging previous adverse findings made against him. This development comes after Motsoeneng filed an application for leave to appeal to the apex court, subsequent to the SIU successfully overturning a R11.5 million bonus awarded to him, which must now be repaid. Briefing the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), Mothibi said Motsoeneng was challenging their findings from lower courts to the Supreme Court of Appeal all the way to the Constitutional Court. 'He is going back to the Constitutional Court to review or rescind their judgment. This is where we will be qualified to say there is abuse of court process. We will ask for appropriate costs,' he said. Mothibi charged that Motsoeneng was really abusing the legal process. 'This is really to show that, to a greater extent, he really believes that either he should not be investigated. I can't just put my head onto it.' However, Mothibi said anyone has the right to legal recourse. 'It is his right to challenge the findings that are adverse to him. In the context of litigation process, I am of the view he is really abusing the legal process, particularly once the Constitutional Court has made a ruling,' he said. Mothibi made the comments when the SIU briefed Scopa about the investigations it has conducted at the SABC. The investigations emanated from proclamations authorised between 2010 and 2024. Chief national investigating officer Zodwa Xesibe told the MPs that a proclamation was issued in 2017 following a parliamentary inquiry into the SABC affairs. Xesibe said the investigation covered contracts, including the sale of the public broadcaster's archives. SIU legal counsel Ntuthuzelo Vanara said one of the matters related to the R11.5 million bonus paid to Motsoeneng as 'success fee' that was set aside. 'The bonus amount increased from R11.5m because of interest to R18m. Of that amount, there has been R6m that would have been paid from his pension benefit. "We finalised this matter,' Vanara said. However, the court had ordered Motsoeneng's legal fees paid by SABC be repaid to the tune of R1.2m. 'He had apparently used SABC to pay his personal matters with a personal attorney. We recovered R851 981 together with interest.' The former CEO lost an appeal bid and SABC pension fund payout to the tune of R6.4m. Vanara also said a R52m contract with Vision View was set aside and R7m contract with Mott MacDonald, among others. In a presentation to the Scopa, the SIU reported that Mjayeli Security was appealing a court decision that set aside the contract it was awarded after it was found to have come second in the winning bidders.
