Court blow for Muvhango creator Duma ka Ndlovu after bid to stop tax fraud case rejected

The filmmaker Duma Ka Ndlovu inside the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court in Katlehong. Picture: @HeidiGiokos/X

The tax fraud case against veteran television producer Duma ka Ndlovu and his co-accused remains on track after the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) rejected their representations and an independent review panel confirmed that the matter falls within the mandate of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC).

Ka Ndlovu, the creator of popular television productions including Muvhango and Queen Modjadji, and co-accused Maxwell Mloyi appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Wednesday, where the matter was postponed to 9 February 2027 for a formal pre-trial.

The accused have indicated that they intend applying for the relaxation of their bail conditions to allow them to travel. A hearing on the application is scheduled for 3 December 2026.

IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the state informed the court that representations submitted by the accused had been rejected by the NDPP.

“The state placed it on record that the representations filed by the accused were rejected by the office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP).

“It was further placed on record that the Panel that reviews the IDAC cases has confirmed that the case was properly authorised and that it falls within the IDAC mandate,” Mamothame said.

Ka Ndlovu and Mloyi face 12 counts of tax fraud, tax evasion, and violations of the Tax Administration Act involving an estimated R26 million, linked to the company tax affairs of Ka Ndlovu’s business following a joint investigation by IDAC and the South African Revenue Service (Sars).

Prosecutors allege that Ka Ndlovu’s company, formerly known as Ambrobite and now operating as Kanoboya Consulting, failed to declare income earned from subcontracted work for Bain & Company, forming the basis of the tax fraud charges before the court.

The pair were arrested in September 2024. Ka Ndlovu was granted R100,000 bail, while Mloyi was released on R50,000 bail.

A third accused, registered tax practitioner Rodney Mutsharini, was initially charged alongside the pair but is no longer part of the prosecution after charges against him were withdrawn.

The case forms part of broader investigations into work performed by Ambrobite for Bain & Company between 2013 and 2016. According to investigators, the company received subcontracted work from the global consulting firm but allegedly failed to properly declare the resulting income to Sars.

Evidence previously presented before the State Capture Commission linked Ambrobite to Bain’s efforts to secure government business in South Africa. Testimony before the commission alleged that the company’s owners offered to leverage political connections to facilitate introductions to senior government figures and state-owned entities.

Among the allegations aired before the commission was that former Bain South Africa head Vittorio Massone met with former president Jacob Zuma as part of efforts to advance Bain’s public-sector ambitions, with Ka Ndlovu said to have attended one of the meetings.

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