The skeletons of the past continue to haunt well-known comedian and content creator Livhuwani Madadzhe, popularly known as SABC Livhu. The State has indicated that, in addition to a murder charge, he will also face charges of fraud. This relates to a 2017 incident in which he allegedly faked his mother's death to claim insurance money.
Madadzhe appeared in the Thohoyandou High Court, sitting in Waterval, on Monday. He stands accused of murdering his partner, Lindelani Nengovhela, two years ago. Her body was found floating in a water-filled, disused toilet pit at their home in Mangondi Ha-Sidou Village.
Monday's court proceedings began on a tense note. The hearing was initially scheduled to take place in Court D but had to be moved to Court C because of a malfunctioning recording machine. During the transition, Madadzhe left the courtroom and returned late, after Judge Thogomelani Tshidada had already resumed proceedings. The judge was visibly unimpressed by his tardiness.
Prosecutors then requested that the case be postponed to 4 March to allow time to add fraud-related charges. However, Madadzhe requested that the date be pushed further to 16 March, citing a prior obligation to take his child to a doctor on 4 March. The judge denied his request and instead set the trial date for 10 March. Judge Tshidada further warned prosecutors to ensure they were fully prepared to proceed on that date, cautioning that any further delays could result in the case's being dismissed.
The fraud charges appear to stem from a 2017 incident in which Madadzhe and his then-girlfriend, Mpedziseni Mukwevho, were arrested for allegedly faking his mother's death to claim insurance money. The pair reportedly erected a tombstone at the Mangondi Ha-Sidou graveyard, shocking the community as no funeral had taken place. Even more bizarrely, the woman in question was - and still is - alive.
Madadzhe and Mukwevho were granted bail of R2,000 and R5,000 respectively. Allegations suggest they exploited a loophole in the insurance process as some policies require minimal documentation - such as a tombstone and funeral programme - to process a claim. A close family member alleged that Madadzhe had fraudulently obtained an official death certificate for his mother, despite her being very much alive.
"That poor woman cannot access an RDP house, a social grant, or any service that requires a valid South African ID. According to Home Affairs, she is officially deceased," the family member lamented.
It is unclear what became of the case. However, prosecutors are now reportedly seeking to reinstate the fraud charges alongside the murder trial, arguing that the earlier case highlights a pattern of deceptive behaviour by Madadzhe.
The sister of the late Lindelani Nengovhela said this week that she hoped justice would prevail. "As a family, it's not that we don't feel pain when we see him living happily on social media, while our sister is no more. However, we still have hope in the justice system of South Africa and in God. We expect to see this person (Livhuwani) become an example that helps many people, especially as he is a public figure. The hand of the law should serve as a lesson to many who look up to him. People must learn that, no matter who you are - even if you're a celebrity - you are not above the law."
She also revealed that the family is working with the Family Advocate to transfer full custody of Madadzhe's children to him, following the children's expressed desire to live with their father. "We want nothing to do with him. The children have made their choice, and we respect that. Now, we are focused on seeing this case through and hoping for justice to be served."
She added that the family was relieved the fraud charges had been combined with the murder case as they believe this strengthened the prospects for justice. "We are waiting for 10 March. For now, we are pleased that the cases have been merged. The law must act as an example and teach lessons to many," she concluded.