DURBAN - Drama unfolded at the SABC studios on Thursday morning when Ukhozi FM popular DJ Sgqemeza, whose real name is Sipho Mbatha, was served with summons for the amount of R421 000 out of the R4 million that he was erroneously paid by the Department of Arts and Culture in 2017.
The Vukukhanye Africa Breakfast show presenter was paid R4m into his business account instead of an amount of R400 000 in funding that he was supposed to receive for his City to City Motivation Tour in 2017.
Efforts by the department lawyers to serve him summons had been unsuccessful on many occasions since March last year.
The department lawyer, together with the sheriff of the court, stormed into the SABC studios and eventually served him summons as soon as he came out of the studio at the end of his shift.
The security guards tried to blockade the entrance for the sheriff to gain entry to serve him, but he forced entry to get to Sgqemeza.
“While the commotion was in progress, the management intervened. Sgqemeza was eventually served, after which he signed the court papers,” said an informed source.
Department of Arts and Culture Head of Department Ntokozo Chonco confirmed that the DJ owes a balance of R421 000, he has allegedly been dodging paying back since March last year.
He said the department, after realising their error, informed Sgqemeza about it and requested that he pay back the money.
“He paid R3m back immediately and then he entered into an agreement of how he was going to pay the rest of about R600 000 that he still owed the department. He, however, did not honour that agreement. Our legal team made many efforts to serve him the summons. During one of the occasions we were told that he was working from home. Efforts to serve him at his residence also failed, hence today we decided to serve him at his workplace. This was not done to embarrass him,” said Chonco.
He confirmed that Sgqemeza was expected to appear in the Durban High court soon.
When contacted for comment, Sgqemeza denied being served with a summons.
He denied that he was erroneously paid R4m instead of a R400 000 funding.
He also denied that he owed the department an amount of R421 000.
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