Times Of Swaziland: WIFE TAKES LATE SENATOR JIMMY’S ‘LOVER’ TO COURT

WIFE TAKES LATE SENATOR JIMMY’S ‘LOVER’ TO COURT
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BY MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE  on 23/02/2021 01:02:00


MBABANE - While his body is still warm in the grave, Senator Jimmy Jameson
Hlophe’s wife and his alleged live-in-lover are at each other’s throat over
his assets.
Hlophe passed away on January 20, 2021 after succumbing to COVID-19
complications.
His wife, Elizabeth Nonhlahla Hlophe, has since taken Bonsile Gwebu, the alleged
girlfriend and one Andile Hlophe to the High Court, accusing them of refusing to
hand over some of the assets belonging to her husband.
Elizabeth wants the court to interdict the respondents (Gwebu and Andile) from
disposing of the assets of her late husband (Jimmy), in particular, a motor
vehicle, being a Toyota Fortuner.
Appointment
She is also praying for an order directing the duo to forthwith surrender all
the assets of the late Jimmy to her pending appointment of the executor of his
estate.
In her application, Elizabeth submitted that she was the surviving spouse of the
late senator, having been married in terms of civil rites and community of
property on May 16, 1969.
“Prior to his passing, my deceased husband was in a relationship with the
second respondent (Gwebu) and at times, he resided with her at our other home at
Sigcineni in the Manzini Region,” alleged the applicant (Elizabeth).
These are allegations whose veracity is still to be tested in court.
She alleged that after her husband passed away, Gwebu had been in possession of
assets including his (Jimmy’s) motor vehicles, a tractor and bank accounts as
well as personal documents belonging to the deceased.  According to Elizabeth,
Bonsile was refusing to hand over same to her as Jimmy’s wife.
Elizabeth alleged that on February 18, 2021, she received information from one
of her sons that Andile had advertised her husband’s motor vehicle, the Toyota
Fortuner on social media, in particular Facebook.
The applicant submitted that she went to check on Facebook and found that the
first respondent (Andile) had advertised the motor vehicle and he was selling
same for the sum of E540 000.
Enquiry
“Upon further enquiry and to my surprise and dismay, I further learnt that
Bonsile has been withdrawing monies from the accounts of the deceased from the
time he was admitted to hospital around January 5, 2021 despite the estate of
the deceased having been reported with the master of the High Court,”
submitted the applicant.
She averred that she had been advised and verily believed that her husband’s
bank cards were in Gwebu’s possesion and she was the one who was making the
unlawful withdrawals from his bank accounts.
“The deceased also had accounts with Nedbank and First National Bank and I am
still waiting for the statements therefrom, however, the information that I have
is that there have been multiple withdrawals from those accounts as well even
after the death of the deceased (sic),” alleged  Elizabeth.
It was further her submission that the actions of the respondents were unlawful
and the court should interdict same. Elizabeth argued that she had a clear right
to the interdict by virtue of Section 20 of the Administration of Estates Act.
She told the court that the Act provided that the surviving spouse should take
charge of the assets of the deceased until the executor was appointed by the
master of the High Court.
Elizabeth contended that she was the surviving spouse and ought to be the one in
charge of her husband’s assets prior to the appointment of an executor.
Elizabeth is represented by Noncedo Ndlangamandla and the respondents are yet to
file their papers in the event they are disputing the allegations against them.