Johannesburg – A Gauteng businessman, already under criminal investigation for his alleged role as the mastermind behind the murder of whistleblower Babita Deokaran, is now facing further scrutiny for allegedly orchestrating a hit on television actress and influencer Tebogo Thobejane.
The businessman, whose identity is being withheld at this stage due to ongoing investigations, is also reportedly under investigation for corrupt tender dealings at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).
Sources close to the Thobejane investigation have revealed that members of the Crime Intelligence Unit, while investigating the businessman's alleged involvement in looting Prasa, obtained a seizure and search warrant. They subsequently raided his properties in Pretoria and Johannesburg, meticulously searching for potential incriminating evidence.
According to the source, police discovered and confiscated the businessman's cellphone during the raids. Upon downloading the phone's contents, they allegedly uncovered WhatsApp messages exchanged between the businessman and two hitmen who were previously arrested in connection with the attempt on Thobejane's life.
The messages allegedly revealed a chilling instruction from the businessman to the assassins: "Shoot her in the face so that her family doesn't recognise her."
In October 2023, Thobejane and a friend were ambushed on the N1 south highway near Sandton, Johannesburg, when their vehicle was sprayed with bullets. Thobejane, known for her role in the Tshivenda soap opera "Muvhango," escaped the attack unharmed, but her friend sustained a severe spinal cord injury.
While Thobejane has since recovered from the ordeal, her friend remains hospitalised and faces the devastating prospect of permanent paralysis.
The Sunday World source further disclosed that police also stumbled upon proof of payment allegedly sent by the businessman to the hitmen to carry out the assassination. "I can't remember the amount, but the police found the proof of payment," the source stated.
The motive behind the businessman's alleged desire to have Thobejane killed remains unclear. However, sources indicate that the two had known each other for some time.
Frustrated by the perceived lack of progress in the investigation, Thobejane penned a letter to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) headquarters on April 13, expressing her concerns about the prosecutor's alleged procrastination in arresting the alleged kingpin. In the letter, which Sunday World has seen, Thobejane suggested that the businessman's wealth was preventing his incarceration.
“It has now been over two years since the incident that shook my world. Though a number of perpetrators have been arrested, the main orchestrator – the person truly responsible – has not been brought to justice … despite the information that has long been available,” Thobejane wrote.
In her letter, Thobejane detailed the devastating impact the attack and subsequent lack of justice have had on her life and the lives of her loved ones.
“I am writing to you out of urgency, frustration, and pain. My son has fallen into depression. I am on the verge of bankruptcy," she stated. "My name, my image, and my opportunities have been stained by the trauma inflicted upon me and the silence that followed."
Thobejane expressed her deep concern over the perception that wealth and influence were obstructing the pursuit of justice. "What is most alarming is the perception – whether true or not – that power, wealth, and influence are standing in the way of justice," she wrote. "While I struggle to rebuild, those responsible live freely, protected by what appears to be systemic inaction."
In a poignant plea, Thobejane questioned whether her life was at risk before justice would be served. “I ask you directly: Are we waiting for me to die before justice is served?,” she asked.
Thobejane demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of the businessman.
Shortly after receiving Thobejane's letter, the NPA instructed its South Gauteng head, Andrew Chauke, to take over the case. Chauke confirmed this week that he had received a letter from Thobejane and NPA boss Adv Shamila Batohi, requesting him to investigate the reasons behind the businessman's failure to be arrested despite the apprehension of the hitmen.
“I can confirm that my office received a letter asking me to look into why the alleged mastermind behind the plot to kill the actress isn’t arrested after the hitmen were nabbed," Chauke stated. "I have put together a small team to look into the matter, and I am expecting a full brief from them before the end of the month.”
Chauke vowed that anyone found to be responsible for the delay would face consequences.
The investigation into the alleged hit on Thobejane, coupled with the businessman's suspected involvement in the Deokaran murder and Prasa corruption, highlights a disturbing pattern of violence and impunity.
