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Sam 'Mshengu' Chabalala - How it all came crashing down

Flamboyant businessman Sam Chabalala, who goes by the clan name Mshengu, shot to national prominence in July, 2019 after images of a fleet of his expensive cars driving down to Durban for the annual horse-racing event trended on social media.

Most of the cars had personalised number plates with the name "Sam" prominent on them.

On September 6, 2019 of the same year, he was arrested by the Hawks in eMalahleni following a lengthy investigation into his citizenship.

Tycoon famous for July convoy locked up over ID

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Sam Holdings owner falls sick in custody

Mpumalanga businessman Sam Chabalala, 23, popularly known as 'Mshengu' was on Monday night admitted at private hospital ...

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Hawks to freeze Sam Holding's accounts

Chabalala is still hospitalised

By Peter Ramothwala

Soon after his arrest Chabalala had to be admitted at a private hospital in Emalahleni  after complaining of stomach complications.

According to a source close to the situation, the flamboyant businessman was rushed to hospital in what is suspected to be a case of food poisoning.

“Sam started complaining about stomach ache and an ambulance had to be called to fetch him from the Witbank police holding cell. He was rushed to the local private hospital where he spent a night receiving treatment." 

Tight security -  September 11, 2019

Security had to tightened around Chabalala after he was found with electronic devices in his hospital bed.

He was found with a smuggled laptop and cellphones when the Hawks raided his private hospital room.

Hawks spokesman Hangwani Muluadzi confirmed that Chabalala was found with electronic devices.

"We have launched the investigations on how the devices got into his room," Mulaudzi said.

Sam Holdings owner falls sick in custody

Mpumalanga businessman Sam Chabalala, 23, popularly known as 'Mshengu' was on Monday night admitted at private hospital ...

By Peter Ramothwala

Hospital security tightened after Mshengu bust with laptop, phones

Security has been tightened around Mpumalanga business mogul Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala after he was found with ...

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Sam Chabalala's family denied access to hospital

Family and friends of Mpumalanga business mogul Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala have been denied visiting rights after he was ...

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A manager Chabalala's depots was shot dead (September 12, 2019) just days after he gave the Hawks a sworn affidavit relating to an investigation about his boss.

Nkosinathi Ngcongo, 30, was shot in the head and chest as he was about to leave the premises in Bethal, Mpumalanga.

The 26-year-old man accused of killing Ngcongo was allegedly once the trucking Chabalala's bodyguard.

Sam Holdings owner Sam 'Mshengu' Chabalala's depot manager shot dead

A manager at one of flamboyant businessman Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala's depots was shot dead just days after he gave the ...

By Tankiso Makhetha and Peter Ramothwala

Sam Chabalala's bodyguard accused of killing Sam Holdings depot manager

The 26-year-old man accused of killing Mpumalanga businessman Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala's longtime friend was allegedly ...

By Tankiso Makhetha and Peter Ramothwala

Man accused of killing Sam Holdings depot manager remanded in custody

The bail application of Phindokuhle Eugene Nkosi, accused of assassinating Sam Holdings depot manager and long time ...

By Mandla Khoza

On the September 16, 2019 Chabalala was whisked away in a Maserati after being granted a R200,000 bail in the Witbank magistrate's court. He was facing charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, corruption, bribery and fraud. The matter was postponed to November 22 for further investigation.

Sam Holdings owner swaps jail for a swanky Maserati

Businessman given R200k bail

By Tankiso Makhetha

Sam Holdings owner 'Mshengu' granted R200k bail

Flamboyant Mpumalanga businessman Sam “Mshengu” Chabalala, who faces charges of corruption, has been granted R200,000 ...

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'I'll expose the Hawks', says Sam Holdings owner

Mpumalanga businessman Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala, who was granted R200,000 bail on Monday, accused the Hawks of pursuing ...

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In February 2020, Chabalala was arrested again after he allegedly attempted to 'bribe' a senior police official in Mpumalanga to get his impounded motor vehicle released and also to make his initial case disappear.

His car had been impounded by police when he was arrested on corruption charges for allegedly bribing a department of home affairs official last year.

A source close to the investigations revealed that a trap to apprehend Chabalala in Mbombela was set after he attempted to bribe an officer.

“The suspect paid R50 000 as a down payment and on Thursday he added a further R70 000 for the release of his vehicle and the Nelspruit docket to disappear,” Hawks spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi said. 

Sam 'Mshengu' Chabalala was nabbed after Hawks set up a trap

It took two weeks for the Hawks to arrest flamboyant businessman Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala on new charges of corruption ...

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Sam 'Mshengu' Chabalala arrested again, months after being released on bail

Flamboyant Mpumalanga businessman Sam “Mshengu” Chabalala, who was out on R200,000 bail on charges of corruption has ...

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Sam 'Mshengu' Chabalala asks for R5,000 bail

Flamboyant Mpumalanga businessman Sam “Mshengu” Chabalala has asked to be granted R5,000 bail in his latest corruption ...

By Tankiso Makhetha

On February 26, 2020 Chabalala was granted R500,000 bail. 

This is after Advocate Eric Sihlangu made a plea to the Middelburg magistrate's court not to release Chabalala. Sihlangu said Chabalala was not a suitable candidate to be granted bail as he was arrested for allegedly committing the same offences that he was out on bail for.

Sihlangu also told the court that Chabalala's real name is Gilbert Tachuona and that he was born in Zimbabwe.

Magistrate Hlengiwe Mkhabela said she granted Chabalala on the strength of him not having interfered with investigations in his other matter.

"The state cannot prove that the applicant is a foreign national. There is no reason to keep him in custody," Mkhabela said.

The matter was postponed to March 13 for further investigation. 

'Deny Mshengu bail, he'll abuse it'

Chabalala bust for same offence.

By Tankiso Makhetha

Mpumalanga businessman Sam Chabalala released on R500,000 bail

Flashy Mpumalanga businessman Sam Chabalala has been granted R500,000 bail.

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Sam Chabalala gets bail and his convoy hits traffic cop

Flamboyant Mpumalanga businessman Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala is again a free man after being granted a R500,000 bail in ...

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In March, a warrant of arrest was issued for Chabalala after he failed to appear in court. 

He allegedly left a note in which he told his wife that he planned to kill himself.

In the note seen by Sowetan, Chabalala wrote to his wife, Lerato Legodi, saying he was scared that he was going to be killed. He sent the same note to some of his employees at Sam Holdings.

"I know my wife you wish to barry my boady [sic] but I hope you will be able to find the remaining [sic] of me as I'm going to throw myself in the crocodiles river or game reserve after Pongola as you go to Lwulwuwe [Hluhluwe] N2. I have hiked to come here."

Warrant of arrest issued for Sam 'Mshengu' after failed court appearance

Businessman Sam “Mshengu” Tshabalala - who shot to infamy after taking a 72-car convoy to the Durban July - is wanted ...

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Businessperson Sam Chabalala faces arrest after failing to appear in court

A warrant of arrest has been issued for Mpumalanga's flashy businessman Sam Chabalala after he failed to appear in ...

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Sam 'Mshengu' Chabalala disappears, sends 'suicide note' to wife

Multimillionaire trucker businessman Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala has gone missing and has sent his wife and some of his ...

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September 2020

Sowetan can reveal that Chabalala's once blooming trucking business empire has since crumbled as more of his movable assets are set to go under the hammer this week while several immovable properties in Bethal, Mpumalanga, will also be auctioned soon.

Deregistration

Sam Holdings is in the process of deregistration from the register of companies, according to company records. 

A former employee who asked not to be named told Sowetan that the company stopped operating in April after owner Sam “Mshengu” Chabalala's wife Lerato Legodi told them that operations will come to a halt temporarily.

Interpol

Hawks spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi told Sowetan the elite investigating unit wanted to first ascertain Mshengu's real identity so that he could be "flagged by Interpol".

Once Mshengu's real identity is confirmed, the help of  Interpol will be sought to track him down.

Sam Holdings being deregistered

Sam Holdings is in the process of deregistration from the register of companies, according to company records.

Tankiso Makhetha
Investigative reporter

Sam Chabalala's trucks and house to be auctioned this week

The empire of flamboyant multimillionaire and businessman Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala seems to be crumbling as some of his ...

By Isaac Mahlangu, Peter Ramothwala and Tankiso Makhetha

Man nabbed trying to get Sam Chabalala's impounded Benz released

People believed to have links with businessman Sam "Mshengu" Chabalala have had their own run-ins with the law, with ...

Tankiso Makhetha
Investigative reporter

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