Former IEC Commissioner Terry Tselane exposed

Former government heavy weight, Terry Tselane has gone silent after being confronted with evidence suggesting he may have been involved in the quiet withdrawal of a criminal case against SAMRO’s top executives.

Tselane, a former IEC Commissioner and prominent governance figure, is facing questions over allegations that he may have influenced a high-stakes criminal matter through behind-the-scenes “goodwill” discussions.

At the heart of the scandal are SAMRO’s top brass, Annabelle Lebethe (CEO) and Leanne Thomas (CFO), facing criminal allegations for funding a book launch. The case was opened by Tebogo Sithathu in October 2025. The Chairperson of Artists United, Owen Ndlovu drafted the affidavit. Artists stood united behind it. But Sithathu made a u-turn.

A damning WhatsApp message seen by The Public Dispatch shows Sithathu explicitly telling Ndlovu that Tselane was the one who requested the withdrawal of charges against SAMRO, as a show of goodwill and as part of a broader strategy to “resolve the impasse at SAMRO.”

The message reads:

"A blessed wonderful good morning to you and your family, Gatsheni. I thought that Bro Terry had already informed you of this, as he was the one who requested that I withdraw the case as a show of goodwill on our part."

"I was even going to ask you to do the same with all your other cases. If he hasn’t done so yet, I suggest you speak with him, because he was very clear to me that this move is key to his strategy to resolve the impasse at SAMRO. He also requested that I don’t say anything at the time, so he could be the one to inform everyone at the right moment. I suggest you give him a call, please.”

A CALCULATED LEAK: How confidential inquiries ended up in Sithathu's hands

Questions were sent to Tselane, giving him a full opportunity to respond but within minutes the questions were leaked to social media by Sithathu.

This raises a chilling question for any institution currently using Tselane’s advisory services. If a high-level advisor cannot maintain the confidentiality of a basic media inquiry, what else is being shared behind closed doors?

Does this immediate coordination with Sithathu serve to confirm the "digital evidence" already seen by this publication, that Tselane is indeed the "key strategist" directing the legal gymnastics surrounding SAMRO?.

The Public Dispatch asked Tselane whether he or anyone in his office leaked the private media inquiry to Sithathu. Once again he did not respond.

The "Goodwill" gambit

The allegations are not merely about 'strategy', they are about the potential interference with due legal process.

For a man deeply embedded in the political and business spheres of South Africa, this is not just a SAMRO issue. It is a credibility crisis.

If Tselane encouraged the withdrawal of criminal charges to “resolve an impasse,” he was not just advising, he was allegedly attempting to bypass the police and the courts in favor of a private, backroom settlement.

One senior industry insider, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:

“This is exactly how the cartel operates. They use respected names to sanitise dirty deals. If a man of Tselane’s stature is involved in killing cases against SAMRO executives, then the rot runs deeper than we thought.”

The artists who were betrayed

The criminal case that was allegedly killed at Tselane's direction was not a personal dispute. It was opened in the public interest, by artists who believed that SAMRO's executives had misappropriated funds belonging to the creators whose work SAMRO exists to protect.

Ndlovu was unequivocal:

"We are dealing with a criminal cartel. Sithathu didn't just drop a case. He became part of the machinery that protects the bosses. He defeated the ends of justice."

He confirmed that the withdrawal of the criminal case was never communicated with AU or anyone.

The Governance insider

Tselane has built his entire career on preaching transparency, electoral integrity, and good governance. As founder of the Institute of Election Management Services in Africa (IEMSA) and a long-serving IEC Commissioner, he positioned himself as a guardian of democratic processes.

However, when asked about allegations that he may have interfered in a criminal investigation involving SAMRO, which was previously flagged in the 2023 Fundudzi Forensic Report for irregular royalty payments worth millions, the “expert” suddenly has no response.

This is not the behaviour of a man with clean hands. This is the behaviour of someone with something to hide.

What happens next

Artists United is preparing a comprehensive dossier for KZN Provincial Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The criminal case, withdrawn by Sithathu without the consent of those who built might be revived. The Fundudzi Forensic Report, which implicated SAMRO board members and executives, has not gone away. And Tselane's silence will follow him into every governance room he enters next.

This scandal also raises serious questions about whether high-profile advisors are genuinely serving the interests of the public (artists in this case) and justice or quietly protecting powerful institutions and individuals at the expense of transparency.

Tselane still has time to break his silence and clear his name. But every day he remains quiet, the shadow over his reputation grows darker.

The public deserves to know why the man who used to safeguard our elections is now allegedly managing the "goodwill" of criminal suspects.