President Jacob Zuma's estranged wife, Nompumelelo Ntuli-Zuma, has been drawn into a scam in which about 5,000 Durban pensioners have allegedly been swindled out of potentially millions of rands.
The alleged scam involves a group, Bambanani Ma-Africa Victims of Political Violence KZN, that claims to lobby the state on behalf of the pensioners to access financial compensation for losses during the 1980s.
The pensioners paid a once-off R2,000 and monthly instalments of R100 since 2003 to facilitate their claims, but haven't received a cent.
This week they said that MaNtuli addressed them several times and promised that "as long as President Jacob Zuma was in power their money was safe and they would be paid".
They believed the organisation was legitimate because the president's wife was involved, so hadn't gone to the police.Ntuli confirmed that she had addressed the group, but denied she was part of the organisation or had anything to do with money owed to people.
Speaking through her lawyer, Ulrich Roux, Ntuli said she was invited to give a talk by Bambanani Ma-Africa.
Said Roux: "My client was invited in 2013 as a member of a group of women to talk to the Bambanani Ma-Africa organisation. However, she never said a word about money or funding, as she was not aware that there was any money involved.
"My client has never been a member of the Bambanani Ma-Africa organisation. Her visit and talk was purely to motivate women. She was requested to focus on this topic."
Roux denied that Ntuli had any business relationship with the organisation's founder, Zinhle Hlongwane, who is listed as director of the company. Roux added, however, that Hlongwane was known to her.
"My client never made any promises or provided any undertakings to any of the members of the organisation when she spoke to them in 2013. It would have been impossible for her to do so, as she did not and still does not have any knowledge pertaining to any finances or funding of the said organisation," said Roux.
Roux referred further enquiries to a woman named "Mammy" who had invited MaNtuli to Bambanani.
"Mammy", who is based in Pietermaritzburg and refused to give her real name, said Hlongwane knew MaNtuli through her. She confirmed they went to a candlelight prayer meeting for women at Hlongwane's invitation but said MaNtuli didn't address the gathering.
Hlongwane didn't respond to queries or calls.
Neo Kikine, a KwaMashu resident who recruited pensioners to Bambanani, confirmed that more than 5,400 members have paid thousands of rands over the years. He said that while MaNtuli was not a director of the organisation, she had often been part of meetings and roadshow campaigns. "She's always with us. She has come to us several times as a kind of ambassador. Once we invited her and President Zuma, but he could not attend and MaNtuli attended."Kikine admitted he collected money, in cash, but has no idea where it all — estimated at more than R10-million — ended up. He claimed Hlongwane knew the details.
Kikine said the organisation had been collecting money since 1999, but registered only in 2003. It is not registered with the Financial Services Board to collect, invest and handle public funds.
Khobi Josephine Mkhize said she had to borrow money and used some of her pension money to pay Bambanani.
She paid R2,000 each for three family members and several other amounts over the years.
"The last time we paid was in 2015," said Mkhize.
Another woman, Irene Mkhize, said people were afraid that Zuma's term would end or he might resign and they would never get their money, because MaNtuli promised that as long as Zuma was president their money was guaranteed.
Irene said that at one time they were told their money stood at R21-billion and was being invested with the government.
Presidential spokesman Bongani Ngqulunga said Zuma had never heard of Bambanani Ma-Afrika and was not aware of the organisation's activities.
"He is therefore unable to comment ..."..