Actress
1Min
South Africa
Dec 23, 2025
The SIU has obtained a preservation order to freeze a Pretoria property linked to the late actor Presley Chweneyagae, his spouse, and other respondents in a National Lotteries Commission corruption case. The property, allegedly purchased with funds diverted from a youth arts grant, will remain frozen.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a preservation order from the Special Tribunal to freeze a residential property in Hesteapark, Pretoria, linked to the late actor Presley Chweneyagae, his spouse, and several other respondents in a National Lotteries Commission (NLC) corruption case.
The order, granted by Judge M Victor on 18 December 2025, prevents any sale, transfer, lease, encumbrance, or disposal of the property while civil proceedings are being prepared by the SIU.
The order targets Charlaine Christinah Chweneyagae, in her personal capacity and as executrix of her late husband’s estate, as well as Alfred Muzwakhe Sigudla, the Southern African Youth Movement NPO, Domestic Baboon (Pty) Ltd, and other related parties. Presley Chweneyagae, widely known for his work in South African film, passed away earlier this year, and the SIU said the property will remain frozen pending civil proceedings, which must be instituted within 60 court days.
According to the SIU, the Hesteapark property was purchased using approximately R889,000 allegedly diverted from a R15 million NLC grant intended for youth arts programmes. The grant had been approved for the Southern African Youth Movement NPO, represented by Sigudla, but was subsequently channelled through Domestic Baboon (Pty) Ltd — a company solely owned by Chweneyagae — to acquire the private residence.
The SIU said the move to freeze the property forms part of its broader mandate to recover state funds misused through unlawful activities and to hold beneficiaries of NLC grants accountable. The unit’s primary goal is to restore financial losses to the State while deterring further corruption.
The SIU operates under the authority of President Cyril Ramaphosa through Proclamation R32 of 2020 and is empowered by the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration within the NLC. The agency can initiate civil proceedings in the High Court or Special Tribunal to address wrongdoing and refers any criminal conduct uncovered to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further legal action.
Kaizer Kganyago, SIU spokesperson, said the preservation order is a significant step in the unit’s ongoing efforts to promote accountability and transparency in the management of public funds. “This order ensures that assets acquired through potentially illicit means are secured while investigations continue, and it demonstrates the SIU’s commitment to recovering state resources,” Kganyago said.
The SIU has previously investigated numerous cases involving mismanagement and corruption linked to the NLC, focusing on recovering funds intended for youth, arts, and community development projects. The organisation emphasised that the latest action reinforces its mandate to protect public resources and to hold all parties benefiting from state grants accountable, regardless of status or position.
The Hesteapark property will remain frozen until the SIU completes its civil proceedings and any subsequent High Court or Special Tribunal orders are executed. The case highlights the ongoing efforts by the SIU to tackle corruption and safeguard taxpayer-funded programmes in South Africa.
