The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has frozen a high-value property in Hesteapark, Pretoria, connected to the late actor Presley Chweneyagae, his spouse, and other co-respondents as part of a high-profile National Lotteries Commission (NLC) corruption probe. The court order was handed down by Judge M Victor on 18 December against the late Charlaine Christinah Chweneyagae, acting as Executrix of her late husband’s estate, as well as Alfred Muzwakhe Sigudla, the Southern African Youth Movement NPO, Domestic Baboon (Pty) Ltd, and other parties. The order prohibits any sale, transfer, lease, encumbrance, or disposal of the Pretoria property pending the finalisation of civil proceedings to be instituted by the SIU within 60 court days.
Kaizer Kganyago, spokesperson for the SIU, said the property is alleged to have been purchased with approximately R889,000 diverted from a R15 million NLC grant meant for youth arts programmes. “The SIU’s investigation found that the grant was approved for the Southern African Youth Movement NPO, represented by Sigudla, and subsequently channelled through Domestic Baboon (Pty) Ltd, a company solely owned by the late Presley Chweneyagae, to acquire the private residence.” Kganyago emphasised the SIU’s core mandate: recovering funds from NLC grant recipients involved in unlawful activities to restore state finances. He added that this week, the SIU successfully reclaimed R50 000 from TV personality Minnie Dlamini, who had improperly received NLC grant money, highlighting the unit’s determination to hold high-profile individuals accountable and protect public resources from misuse. Kganyago also reiterated the SIU’s legal powers, noting that it can take action through the courts.
