HHP's widow Lerato Sengadi not entitled to his award

Hip Hop Pantsula's wife Lerato Sengadi and his business partner Seabelo Modibe are at each other's throats over the Samas Lifetime Achievement Award Sengadi plans to receive on behalf of the late superstar.

Sengadi announced that she would receive the gong on behalf of the fallen star at the Samas which will be held at Sun City on Saturday.

But Modibe came out guns blazing this week, accusing her of being a ghoulish clout chaser.

Modibe, a Botswana national, alleged that Sengadi was not the artist's wife and the muso's family was granted leave to appeal the court's previous verdict that declared her as the muso's legitimate wife.

Granted on March 14 at the Joburg high court, the leave to appeal reads in part: "Having read the documents filed of record and having considered the matter, it is ordered that the application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal is granted."

Modibe said the leave to appeal automatically rescinded the previous court verdict which pronounced Sengadi as the rapper's legitimate wife.

HHP, real name Jabulani Tsambo, committed suicide at his Weltevreden Park home in October last year.

"She must stop using Jabulani's name for publicity, she is not Jabulani's wife as they were not married. She cannot use the previous court order which declared her the legal wife of Jabulani because the family was granted leave to appeal by the same court. The leave to appeal automatically rescinds the court's previous decision which declared her Jabu's legitimate wife.

"She must wait until the matter is ventilated in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein or the Constitutional Court," he said.

Modibe appealed on the Samas committee to listen to their conscience and not allow Sengadi to receive the award on behalf of HHP.

"I received a call from Jabulani's family wanting to know what is happening after they read in the papers that she would be receiving the award on his behalf. I didn't know anything and I phoned Universal Music Group and asked them if they played a role in this. They too said they didn't know anything about it.

"I am a 50% shareholder of Lekoko Entertainment and Jabulani was also 50% shareholder in the company.

"All Jabulani's successful albums were released under this stable which has a licensing agreement with Universal. So that is why I should be informed of anything that has to do with the company.

"I heard that Lerato goes around telling people that she is a shareholder in the company. That is white lies, she is not."

Sengadi declined to comment. Repeated attempts to solicit comment from HHP's family were unsuccessful.