A dramatic love triangle involving prominent South African lawyer Leslie Sedibe, former Safa CEO, his wife Faith Nevhutalu, and Malusi Gigaba’s ex-wife, Nomachule Mngoma, has allegedly erupted into violence, leaving a trail of accusations and a protection order in its wake. The incident, which took place last year at Sedibe's law firm offices in Summit Square, Johannesburg, has only recently come to light.
Tenants within the office building, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, revealed details of the alleged assault. Their account paints a picture of a chaotic scene in August of last year, when Nevhutalu, reportedly enraged by the presence of Mngoma at her husband's office, launched a physical attack. The tenants described the incident not as a simple "catfight," but as a serious altercation that could have resulted in injury to both Sedibe and Mngoma.
"This was not a catfight or a handbag; it was a serious physical fight that could have left Nomachule or Leslie injured," one tenant stated.
"The man has gone through a lot after he was banned by Fifa for alleged match-fixing; he is trying to rebuild his life; he does not need this drama," they added, highlighting the additional pressures Sedibe is facing.
The alleged assault stemmed from Nevhutalu's suspicion of an affair between her husband and Mngoma. Sedibe reportedly attempted to clarify that Mngoma was a business partner, not a romantic interest, but his explanation failed to defuse the situation. Following the altercation, Sedibe left the premises, reportedly to avoid escalating the conflict.
The commotion didn't go unnoticed. It was reported to Sedibe's landlord, leading to a reprimand concerning the safety of other tenants. Sedibe subsequently provided a detailed account of the incident to his landlord, Rose Tsatsane, who handled the complaint. While Tsatsane accepted his explanation, she cautioned him against any recurrence.
"The lady, Rose Tsatsane, who was handling the complaint against Leslie on behalf of the office building, accepted his explanation but warned him to make sure such an incident does not occur again," a source close to the situation revealed.
Another source, close to both Sedibe and Nevhutalu, shed light on the underlying tensions that fuelled the incident. The source claims the trouble began after Sedibe informed his wife about a business meeting with Mngoma in Sandton, and his intention to form a business partnership with her. This revelation allegedly prompted Nevhutalu to resort to extreme measures.
"Nevhutalu allegedly bugged Sedibe’s cellphone, hacked his Whatsapp communication, and found messages that infuriated her," the source stated.
The alleged hacking was apparently triggered by Nevhutalu's observation of Mngoma using Sedibe's vehicle. This led to a confrontation between Nevhutalu and Mngoma, where Nevhutalu demanded that Mngoma cease contact with her husband.
The source further alleged that the stress caused Sedibe to temporarily move out of the marital bedroom. He attempted to explain his involvement in a gas deal with Mngoma and other partners, but his wife remained unconvinced, interpreting his actions as infidelity.
The source indicated that Sedibe considered divorce but ultimately decided against it. "They are now trying to sort out their differences, and hopefully they will get back together and enjoy their marital bliss again," the source concluded.
Mngoma confirmed the confrontation with Nevhutalu, acknowledging the accusation of an affair but denying any physical assault.
"She did confront me but I told her that we are working, I’m in a solar business and he wanted to be part of some deal I was working on, together with other people," Mngoma stated.
The incident resulted in Sedibe obtaining a protection order against his wife at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, a legal measure designed to safeguard him from further alleged harassment or violence.
