Pretoria – The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a preservation order to freeze a residential property in Hesteapark, Tshwane, linked to the late actor Presley Chweneyagae, famed for his role in the Oscar-winning film 'Tsotsi'. The order comes amid an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds from a National Lotteries Commission (NLC) grant.
The Special Tribunal granted the order on 18 December, following an application by the SIU. According to SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago, the order is directed against multiple parties, including Charlaine Christinah Chweneyagae, in her personal capacity and as the executrix of her late husband’s estate, Mr Alfred Muzwakhe Sigudla, the Southern African Youth Movement NPO, Domestic Baboon (Pty) Ltd, and others connected to the case.
The preservation order explicitly "prohibits any sale, transfer, lease, encumbrance, or disposal of a home in [Hesteapark], Tshwane, pending the finalisation of civil proceedings to be instituted by the SIU within 60 court days," Kganyago stated.
The SIU alleges that approximately R889,000, originating from a R15 million NLC grant earmarked for youth arts programmes, was used to purchase the property. The investigation revealed a complex financial trail involving multiple entities.
"The SIU’s investigation found that the grant was approved for the Southern African Youth Movement NPO, represented by Sigudla, and subsequently channelled through Domestic Baboon (Pty) Ltd, a company solely owned by the late Presley Chweneyagae, to acquire the private residence," the SIU said in a statement.
Before his death earlier in 2025, Chweneyagae became the second media personality linked to the globally acclaimed movie, after Terry Pheto, to be implicated in the alleged misuse of public funds intended for upliftment projects in underprivileged communities.
This development follows closely on the heels of another NLC-related case, where media personality Minnie Dlamini recently agreed to pay R50,000 to the SIU following an investigation into irregular NLC grants.
The SIU's investigation into NLC grants has uncovered a pattern of funds being diverted through a network of non-profit companies and private entities. In a similar case, the proceeds from the sale of a property on the Copperleaf Golf Estate, bought with lottery grant funds, have also been frozen by the Special Tribunal. The property was part of a divorce settlement between lottery grant beneficiary Alfred Sigudhla and his former wife, Tintswalo Patience Chauke. A preservation order granted to the SIU allows it to freeze R2.7-million, including accrued interest, from the sale of the property.
The property was purchased for about R800,000 in 2018, using funds meant for community development, and was co-owned by Sigudla and Chauke, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said. “It was subsequently transferred to Chauke as part of their divorce settlement. Further investigations have revealed that the proceeds from the sale of this property, amounting to R2,550,000, currently reside in Chauke’s bank account,” said Kganyago.
In June this year, Sigudhla’s home on the Silverstream gated estate in Centurion, Pretoria, was frozen after the Tribunal was told that it was bought using money siphoned from lottery grants. According to the SIU, money allocated for good causes was laundered through “a network of non-profit companies and private entities” before being paid to a transferring attorney.
The SIU has made it clear that it is committed to recovering misappropriated funds and holding those responsible to account.
"The primary mission of the SIU is to recover proceeds from beneficiaries of NLC grant funding who are involved in unlawful activities, thereby restoring the State’s financial losses," the unit affirmed. The freezing of Chweneyagae's property marks the latest step in the SIU's ongoing efforts to address corruption and maladministration related to NLC grants.
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