'X-Repo helped someone who defrauded an elderly woman'

A Gauteng man has accused popular Moja Love reality show X-Repo of breaking an agreement to keep the goods of a former tenant until he had paid three months’ outstanding rent to his mother.

X-Repo acts as a mediator in personal disputes involving property, aiming to restore rightful ownership to those who have allegedly been wronged.

According to Thabo Maboya from Noordgesig in Soweto, the show misrepresented events and broke a verbal agreement during the filming of the episode, which was aired two weeks ago.

Maboya accused the show and its host, Xolani Maphanga (X), of siding with the tenant who allegedly owed Maboya’s mother three months rent, totalling R6,000.

According to Maboya, the tenant lost his job and was unable to continue paying rent. He then deceived both the police and the show by saying that his belongings were held against his will.

He said the tenant was locked out but arrived with police in April to demand his goods back.

“Police advised him to leave behind a television and a sound bar until his debt was settled. My mother, who is the landlord, even said he should only pay R2,500 instead of the full amount.”

The tenant took his goods and left the sound bar and TV with Maboya’s mother.

Maboya said the man later arrived with the X-Repo crew and demanded the TV and sound bar.

“X [the host] promised that he would keep the TV and the sound bar as collateral until the tenant paid R2,500. But after filming, he gave everything back to the tenant and left us with nothing,” said Maboya.

He said the tenant bragged in a community group chat that he got away without paying.

As a result, he said, his mother, a pensioner, has been left distressed and ill.

Maboya also accused X-Repo of filming him and his minor children without proper consent and is now seeking justice for what he describes as betrayal.

Sowetan tried to reach out to the tenant, but once he learnt the publication was asking him about the TV and sound bar, he hung up.

Maboya provided a screenshot from the tenant’s alleged girlfriend, saying in isiZulu, “Thank you, my things have arrived, and I don’t know about the R2,500.” 

“X-Repo came under false pretences, saying they wanted to help,” Moboya alleged. “But all they cared about was making the tenant look like a victim and pushing their TV [viewership] numbers, and now they’re ignoring all my attempts to reach out.”   

He said he was consulting with lawyers and preparing to sue both the show and the production company for breach of agreement and violation of privacy. 

Moja Love spokesperson Nonzwakazi Cekete said: “We are investigating the matter as it’s the first time we’ve heard about it. We will respond, please give us time.”

Maboya said the issue was not just about money. “It’s about standing up for my mother and protecting our dignity. X-Repo chose to help someone who defrauded an elderly woman. That’s not justice.” 

SowetanLIVE