His face was recently splashed over newspapers and magazines as South Africa’s youngest mining magnate. A “billionaire” at 25, Mandla Lamba got many interested as to how he made his wealth at so tender an age.
He told the Sunday World he was “rooted in God’s presence”, regularly gives to charity and relies on Dr Tshepo Motsepe, Cyril Ramaphosa’s wife, for inspiration and business counsel. But the police say he allegedly conned a few people and must not be taken at his word. They say they have been looking for him and have two warrants of arrest for him.
Lamba says former allies are involved in a plot to discredit him.
Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said Lamba had “absconded” from two court cases. They had been unable to trace him.
Lamba is executive chairman of East American Resources which classifies itself as a “mid-tier mining company”, with interests in gold, platinum and coal mining. Dlamini said Lamba was facing charges of culpable homicide and theft totalling R480 000.
He added that the police in Roodepoort were looking for him in connection with an accident in which two people died. “He absconded while criminal proceedings for culpable homicide were in process,” Dlamini said.
He added Lamba was also facing 12 separate charges of “theft under false pretences” or fraud. “Five cases were registered in KwaZulu-Natal, one in Free State and six in Gauteng.”
“He (again) absconded during criminal proceedings and a warrant of arrest was issued. It is alleged he approached taxi owners and promised to help them in acquiring new taxis provided they deposit R40 000.” The money was deposited, but when the taxi owners failed to receive their vehicles, they laid charges. He operated in a company, Everlasting Life, which has since been liquidated.
Yet, Lamba boasts to the media he spends R150 000 in three nights at ZAR, run by socialite Kenny Kunene, in Sandton. “What I spend there comes back in millions of rands in the form of business I make there,” he says.
When contacted by The Sunday Independent, Lamba denied any knowledge of the arrest warrants, but admitted knowing about the court cases. “Nobody (from the police) phoned me. My number is working properly,” he said.
Lamba claimed he was being “harassed” by people who he would not identify. “This is a ploy by my rivals and enemies. I am aware of the people doing this to me. Now I know that they are out to destroy me.”
As evidence of the alleged plot, Lamba pointed to an incident at Cresta Mall in Joburg in October where he, three friends and three bodyguards had been “arrested”.
The police held Lamba in connection with a recent spate of heists on NWJ jewellery stores. He was eventually freed despite the warrants for his arrest.
Dlamini said they had not taken his fingerprints. “They didn’t know Lamba was wanted.”
When asked why the police believed he had “absconded” from the culpable homicide case which dates back several years, Lamba said he had regularly appeared in court and “was paying R5 000” in lawyer’s fees for each appearance.
He added that on one occasion he had “thought” the case was set down for a Wednesday, but arrived to find the case had been set down for the previous Tuesday. He also denied being the driver who killed a father and son and said the police had “no evidence”.
Lamba also claimed innocence in the theft cases and said the previous investigating officer had been “poisoned”. “These people are trying to mess up my name. They are discrediting me so I lose investors.”
Asked if he would go willingly to the police, Lamba said: “I can’t do that. I didn’t steal anything. My lawyer will have to go there.”
Lamba said he had “evidence” of the plot, but would not reveal this evidence to the newspaper.
“I know who they are. It started three months ago. They started chasing and trying to destroy me.” - The Sunday Independent