Carletonville Gold Kingpin's Lavish Spree Under Scrutiny as Trial Begins

In a dramatic twist of high financial stakes and alleged organized crime, Bethuel Ngobeni—accused of being an illicit gold trading kingpin—along with his co-accused, gears up for a trial that puts a magnifying glass over a life of extravagance and purported criminality. The Pretoria High Court is set to review a staggering spree of asset acquisition, including six vehicles and two houses cash-purchased for R4.2 million, while R2.4 million sat comfortably in Ngobeni's bank account.

This is no ordinary spending spree. Authorities believe it was fueled by proceeds from an illegal operation capitalizing on gold pilfered from the rich mines of Carletonville, West Rand. Ngobeni, who is also known by the alias Zingai Dhliwayo, is said to have built a multimillion-rand empire from 2018 to 2023, which caught the eye of the law enforcement in an undercover venture, Project Gillet.

Interwoven in this narrative is a cast of eight others—Mozambicans Nhlanhla Magwaca (alias James Sigauke) and Ngobeni himself, Zimbabweans Dumisa Moyo and Kudzai Mashaya, South Africans Thabo and Moseki Sechele, Ngobeni’s partner Lerato Bathabeng, and associates Poppy Mathongwane and Neo Duba. Facing a litany of charges including fraud, money laundering, and racketeering, Ngobeni and his associates are now the subject of state prosecution.

Beyond the veil of legitimate trade, the state alleges that there were no known legal income sources that could justify the assets and lifestyle enjoyed by the accused. A careful examination of financial transactions reveals a complex web of money laundering and asset acquisition, including a gambling turnover of R22.4 million at a casino and the purchase of a VW Amarok bakkie in 2018.

Extravagance is epitomized by Bathebeng’s heavily secured and surveilled Khutsong property, a topic discussed proudly on social media platforms like TikTok. Through shell companies and other surreptitious means, the syndicate ostensibly laundered money, bypassed tax responsibilities, and hid assets. Kumba Projects, a company linked to the Sechele brothers, displayed no business operations yet was part of a network of acquisitions.

In a plot befitting a crime drama, Bongani Khumalo, a mine machine operator, becomes a crucial state witness having titles of luxury properties placed in his name—properties far beyond his financial reach, according to officials.

With 35 witnesses, including car dealership workers, Department of Home Affairs officials, and minerals regulators, the state is armed to detail the breadth and depth of this gold-trading network's operations.

The case unfolding at the Pretoria High Court could unravel the alleged syndicate's success story, disclosing how apparent audacity in spending paralleled their subterfuges and staining the glitter of gold with the grime of grimy dealings.