Businesswoman Phumudzo Thenga today distanced herself from convicted rapist and con artist, Tom Motsepe now AKA Thabo Bester. “I have had nothing to do with him since the deregistration of 21st Century in 2018- upon discovering the true facts around who he really is. I am in fact a victim of his scams.” declared Thenga.
In 2017, someone who introduced himself as `Tom Motsepe made contact with Phumudzo ,through social media platform, Instagram. This person showed interest on the community work she was doing and claimed to be based in the UK and USA . He also claimed to be from the well known Motsepe family, thereafter he made various business proposals, one of them being creating 21st Century Media, the second proposal was for rolling out ARVs to disadvantaged communities through “Dr Nandipha”
The first business being “21st century media” was started in 2017 where Phumudzo was a sole director as hoodwinked by “Tom Motsepe” . He organized meetings with high-level legit businesspeople with ease —removing all suspicion of anything untoward. In summary “Tom Motsepe’s” modus operandi was to pretend to be a shareholder of international brands such as 21th century fox, sky digital etc. along which he hoodwinked Phumudzo into opening purported “local subsidiaries” of these established and well known international brands.
In 2018 when approached by lawyers representing the real 21st Century, her suspicions were being confirmed . The matter was settled with the lawyers and all IP that was in the registration process was withdrawn.
Later on Phumudzo discovered through some employees who had started digging that Tom Motsepe was in fact Thabo Bester and was in prision. Phumudzo confronted “Tom” who tearfully confirmed that he had been in prison all along and conducted all the correspondence from behind bars. When the reality of the scam dawned on her she decided to write the whole thing off as a bad experience. Phumudzo deregistered all the related companies , and accepted all the liabilities associated with the activities of the company thereafter, and continued with her existing and new business ventures to this day. It must be noted that as we all think she scammed people , she was actually scammed . She did not receive any monies from anyone instead she lost money, including the monies she paid to “Optimum”. Up to this point no one has come forth providing evidence of any monies they paid to her.
This matter is already five years old and was behind her until she received an inquiry from “Ground up” this past week accusing her of affiliation with “Tom Motsepe”, and maybe his escape
Phumudzo roped in Mabuza Attorneys who are starting legal proceedings to clear her name. Phumudzo through her lawyers hereby distances herself from any criminal activities associated with Tom Motsepe AKA Thabo Bester . “I am a victim in all of this, I was scammed and decided to painfully walk away ,now my life will be at risk after this”.
Phumudzo Thenga is a businesswoman based in Johannesburg. She decided to start again and focus on her new business ventures—she is now entering International markets. She is pursuing legal action to get a declaratory order to distance herself from any activities of Thabo Bester.
