Johannesburg - Various people in the local music industry have accused former 999 Music manager Brian Mokoena of running a smear campaign against his former business associate and boss, Arthur Mafokate.
These sources also claim Mokoena is using his friends in the media to further his nefarious ends.
Mafokate was named in a multimillion-rand National Lotteries Commission (NLC) scandal three weeks ago by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), which has since attached some of his properties.
Mafokate is reported to have allegedly pocketed more than R53 million from the NLC for his personal benefit instead of the community’s benefit.
City Press reported that the NLC received a tip-off in the form of an affidavit from Mokoena at the Midrand police station in 2019 about Mafokate allegedly mismanaging lottery funds meant for the underprivileged.
On January 13, the SIU revealed that it had seized Mafokate’s R7.5m property in Midrand.
This as the kwaito pioneer claims to be under attack from his old friends and business partners. One of these is Mokoena, who has since fallen out with Mafokate after claiming that his former business partner had not only fraudulently received the R9.5m, but that everyone else was aware of it as well.
Mokoena also claimed that Mafokate was not of a good character, adding that he had enough damaging information about him that had prompted an SIU investigation against him.
However, in a new twist, a WhatsApp group made up of music industry practitioners has described Mokoena as a conman who is using journalists to discredit his former business associate.
“Brian Mokoena is a conman that tried to blackmail Arthur. Mokoena wanted R1.5m from Arthur and threatened to tarnish his name should he not get the money. Mokoena is currently working with Chicco. Brian Mokoena is well connected with journalists that owe him big favours as he knows their secrets, and he is a bully that threatens everyone in the industry,” read one of the messages.
According to the message, Mafokate, who is believed to be innocent, refused interviews with so-called Mokoena-aligned journalists, adding that some of Mafokate’s friends were approached to further tarnish his reputation but failed.
“Most of Arthur’s friends were approached to threaten Arthur about Brian’s intentions to tarnish his name if no ransom was fulfilled. Mokoena also lied about Cici not auditioning before winning at the auditions,” the message alleged.
Last week, The Star reported that the squabble between the two was about money for gigs, with a phone call recording between them having surfaced with Mokoena asking for R1.5m.
“I want my share of the money. It is my name that appears on the company registration certificate. I want R1.5m. I am the one who went to register the company I am the one who took the knock, wearing T-shirts in meetings and having people swear at us, and when the money came in, Arthur called me and asked me to go to Venda,” Mokoena said.
Another industry veteran who did not want to be named said Mafokate was being targeted.
Attempts to reach Mokoena for comment were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
The Star