MDLADLA, VICTOR’S WIDOW SMOKE PEACE PIPE

MBABANE – It is now a closed chapter! For purposes of peace, progress and out of respect, the executor in the estate of the late businessman Victor Gamedze, lawyer Sidumo Mdladla, has voluntarily relinquished his position.

It was on mutual grounds between Mdladla and Gamedze’s widow, Lungile that the two parties decided to go their separate ways.
According to sources, this development took place during a meeting between the two parties.

“The meeting was quite fruitful and the two parties reached a consensus regarding the ongoing debacle related to Victor’s estate. During the meeting, all the misunderstanding was cleared and the parties agreed that there was no need to proceed to court as Mdladla felt that despite all that had been said, he would respect the late Victor Gamedze and step down so that the process would proceed in peace,” revealed the source.

Last Friday, Lungile had called a press conference at Royal Villas which was, however, cancelled at the eleventh hour.
Reasons for the cancellation of the press conference and its purpose could not be established as none of the parties wanted to make any further comments on the issue.

“Yes, the executor stepped down following fruitful discussions with other stakeholders. However, it should be noted that this was not because he was giving into the litany of allegations levelled against him but for the sake of peace, progress and respect for the Gamedze family,” said the impeccable source.
The source further went on to state that the parties had seemingly smoked the peace pipe on the issue.

Gamedze’s wife recently made a litany of allegations against the senior lawyer. She was among other things accusing Mdladla of no longer acting in her interest and that of her children.

In a letter, Lungile further asked the executor to resign by January 11, 2019 or she would approach the court.
She was also accusing the executor, of having forcefully induced one Thokozane Nkambule to generate an invoice and fraudulently state that the late businessman owed Swazi Mobile a sum of E5 million.

In the letter, Lungile alleged that Nkambule was so disgusted so much that he was amenable to testify under oath. However, Nkambule reportedly wrote a letter to the lawyer denying all the allegations.
He stated that he had under no circumstances been instructed by Mdladla to generate any invoice relating to any claims between him (Mdladla) and Gamedze or his company.

Nkambule said to the best of his knowledge, Mdladla operates an office with a fully-fledged accounting department which was responsible for raising invoices for any obligations with third parties.
He highlighted that it was confusing how an Eswatini Mobile employee would then raise invoices of behalf of his (Mdladla) company.

Allegations

Mdladla, on the other hand, through a press statement, stated that he found the allegations that he approached Nkambule to generate a fraudulent invoice, not only senseless but one that typified the whole episode.
The senior attorney said the allegations were, therefore, incorrect and were allegedly made as some kind of blackmail to force him to accede to certain demands and to finally exit as an executor.

“I am aware that there will be other efforts to tarnish my name as long as I hold the office of executorship. I am prepared to withstand such insults, threats and acts of defamation, so long as I act as an executor and in  the best interest of all stakeholders, not one,” stated Mdladla.

He further mentioned that the wording of the letter that was written to him was highhanded, aggressive and very insulting. Mdladla said he was generally concerned by the fact that some individuals had seen the demise of Gamedze as a spring board to success by constantly ill-advising Mrs Gamedze, whom his office still respected.

The lawyer pointed out that he had every intention of addressing this issue at the appropriate time and forum so as to vindicate himself.  
He said it was unfortunate that these allegations had been widely published and disseminated to other parts of the country and world when there were never any efforts to verify them.

 “Having said the above, I am baffled that with all these defamatory allegations, as baseless and untrue as they are, there is no indication of any motive to secure personal benefit on my part,” reads part of the statement by Mdladla.

Mdladla went on to assure and thanked all individuals and corporate stakeholders for their response and concern showed.
The senior lawyer, when contacted about the issue said he did not wish to make any public statements regarding the matter.
He said a joint statement would be sent in due course.

Meanwhile, Lungile when contacted, confirmed the matter but said she was still waiting for a formal resignation letter from Mdladla.
Lungile is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Nosipho Gamedze, who claims to be the biological daughter of the late businessman.
Lungile and her two daughters, Tiyandza and Temalungelo, filed an application seeking an order compelling Nosipho to undergo a paternity test.

Benefit

Nosipho, who wants to benefit from the businessman’s multimillion estate, is energetically opposing the application.
In her answering affidavit, Nosipho argued that Lungile should have established and proved her marriage to the late Victor. According to the first respondent (Nosipho), Lungile had allegedly not done so.

After the matter was argued last year, Judge Nkosinathi Maseko is expected to issue his judgment.
Meanwhile, Lungile is also awaiting DNA results of another minor child purportedly fathered by her late husband from another woman. The process was done at Ermelo in the Republic of South Africa.

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