Cape Town -
He used to make women go weak at their knees with his melodic voice and charming smile.
However, the Lucky Shabangu of yesteryear seems to be gone, replaced by one who can’t seem to stay away from trouble.
As news broke that double South African Music Award winner Shabangu, from the 1990s R&B boy band Twins, had been arrested and charged in connection with the theft of a R1 million Porsche in Cape Town, a Joburg lawyer said on Tuesday that she had had unpleasant dealings with him.
The lawyer, who asked not to be named, and her husband leased their Hyde Park flat to Shabangu last June.
However, the 39-year-old defaulted in the first month. She said her husband cancelled the lease and gave Shabangu time to vacate the premises, but he refused. “He continued to pay, but we insisted that the lease be cancelled.”
When efforts to kick him out failed, they took him to court.
However, in his documents Shabangu allegedly mentioned, among others, President Jacob Zuma and Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko as respondents.
At some point, the couple hired a private investigator to look into who Shabangu really was. “He found that there were warrants for his arrests for fraud dating back to the early 2000s.”
She said since Shabangu moved into their property, there had been trouble at the complex.
A resident lost his clothes on the washing line and they were allegedly found in Shabangu’s possession. There was also a report of domestic violence after he was allegedly seen hitting a woman on the balcony.
Police were called to the townhouse after Shabangu allegedly stabbed his friend.
“Residents said they were too scared of him and feared for their lives,” she said.
Shabangu and co-accused Thobani Makuzeni, 35, appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with vehicle theft .
Police spokeswoman Constable Noloyiso Rwexana said the pair had been arrested on Friday after allegedly being found in possession of the stolen vehicle. They were remanded in custody.
The court heard that both men’s fingerprints had been sent for testing to verify details of their previous convictions.
Shabangu had supplied the Hyde Park address which the State had yet to verify.
Makuzeni initially provided an address in Albert Road, Woodstock, but investigators discovered it was his workplace. He provided a second address in Table View, where he lived.
It emerged in court that Shabangu was also being sought in a theft case registered at Sea Point police station. The State asked that the matter be postponed for seven days in order for them to get more information.
But the pair’s attorney, André Johnston, opposed the postponement, arguing that investigators had had sufficient time since the arrest to gather information.
“This seven-day postponement is abused by the State in most instances,” he argued.
He said Makuzeni had no previous convictions, no pending cases and no outstanding warrants of arrest, while Shabangu had a previous conviction from 2009. “That information is actually available on the internet,” he said.
However, the State said an initial search revealed that Shabangu had been arrested at least 19 times, and had six previous convictions.
Shabangu was a musician from a popular group called Twins that earned two Samas, the court heard. “The accused is well known,” said Johnston.
The attorney wanted to hand in affidavits signed by his clients and challenged the State to refute the information “considering that they had three days to get the information”.
The State said investigators were viewing video footage allegedly involving Shabangu in relation to the Sea Point case.
Acting magistrate Grant Engel asked why Makuzeni could not be granted bail.
The State wanted to verify with Home Affairs whether he was a South African citizen.
Engel said the court was unable to make a decision on bail with the information received and granted a postponement.
Sources have told the Cape Argus that Shabangu was well connected and known for name-dropping. He has been pictured with Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The Cape Argus has seen correspondence in which Shabangu purports to be the son of a former minister of police.
Shabangu and Makuzeni are expected back in court on Friday.
Cape Argus and The Star