For three months, Bafana Mbundwini believed he was a homeowner — until he and his family were evicted by the real owner of the house.
It turned out the seller had put a house up for sale that was not theirs, resulting in the family being kicked out and having to leave the property in a hurry.
“I was so embarrassed when we left. We even left curtains behind,” the 45-year-old man said.
He bought the Protea Glen house for R180,000 in January 2022 with money he had received when he left his former company, G4S.
Mbundwini told Sowetan that when he saw the house advertised, he contacted the agent listed in the advert, Sello Morajane. He said Morajane told him the house had been repossessed and was on the market for R180,000.
“I went to view the house and I was happy with it,” Mbundwini said.
I fixed the wall, the gate and a basin and slaughtered a sheep — not knowing I was lying to my ancestors
— Bafana Mbundwini
He said Morajane then linked him with the CEO and director of Petu Estate, Nomakhosazana Petunia Macingwane, who operates from an office at Ghandi Square in the Johannesburg CBD. He said Macingwane took over the transaction and told him to pay the amount into another person’s bank account.
“I moved into the house, and she promised to send me the title deed within three months. I fixed the wall, the gate and a basin and slaughtered a sheep — not knowing I was lying to my ancestors.
“I wanted to renovate it more and paid for house plans.”
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Months later, while scrolling through social media, he saw the same house advertised for sale. He contacted the agent listed on the new advert to enquire.
Mbundwini said he was told the property belonged to someone else and whoever was occupying it had been renting it. The owner evicted him and his family.
The alleged housing scam has had lasting consequences, with Mbundwini saying the stress took a severe toll on his household, resulting in his wife suffering a stroke.
I am not the one who comes with the property, as they say I scam. I don’t do that. It is so painful as a black woman. Everybody blames me
— Nomakhosazana Petunia Macingwane
Mbundwini said he opened a case against Macingwane and when he confronted her about the house, she claimed she knew nothing about the home belonging to someone else.
“This has affected me a lot,” he said.
In October 2022 Macingwane paid back R80,000. He later received R30,000 — apparently from the agent, Morajane. He is still owed R70,000.
In a letter, she accused agent Morajane of giving “false information”.
Morajane said: “If it is a scam, why [is] Mbundwini paid? I am busy. Sales have been bad for the past two years. That is why I am failing to finish [paying Mbundwini].”
Other victims come forward
Another alleged victim, Tshegofatso Namane, said she paid R250,000 into Macingwane’s bank account for a property in Protea Glen, which she did eventually occupy.
The property was also advertised on Property24 by Morajane.
“I found out the house was under repo and was sold by somebody else for R640,000. I asked for my money back,” she said.
Macingwane has only reimbursed her R10,000, she added.
Nokuthula Kgoadi and her husband Naledi paid R700,000 into Macingwane’s bank account in October for a house in Bramley. They found out later the property was not fully owned by the “sellers”, she said.
The couple opened a case with the police and the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
The PPRA confirmed to Sowetan it has received five complaints against Macingwane.
Macingwane sent Sowetan a WhatsApp voice note denying the allegations.
“I am not the one who comes with the property, as they say I scam. I don’t do that. It is so painful as a black woman. Everybody blames me,” she said.
She claimed some of the alleged victims decided to cancel sales, saying they were taking too long.
“It was not fraud. It was not a scam. It was legit. I don’t understand what they are saying. It is so painful.”
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Macingwane calls herself a lawyer but admitted to Sowetan she is not registered with the Legal Practice Council (LPC); only with the PPRA.
The LPC, which regulates the conduct of legal practitioners, said Macingwane is operating illegally as she is not registered as a lawyer with the council.
LPC spokesperson Kabelo Letebele said: “We have no record of a legal practitioner by the name of Nomakhosazana Petunia Macingwane.”
Acting as a lawyer without being admitted is misrepresentation and a criminal offence, Letebele added.
Sowetan
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