Sithathu sold out artists: Explosive texts reveal betrayal in the SAMRO case involving Owen Ndlovu, Tebogo, and opened police cases.

In one of the most disgraceful acts of treachery ever witnessed in South Africa’s music industry, the very man who opened a criminal theft case against SAMRO’s CEO, Annabelle Lebethe and CFO Leanne Thomas has stabbed the artists in the back, then tried to dress it up as “goodwill” and divine forgiveness.

This is not redemption. This is surrender. This is selling out.

The case, sensationally headlined by Sunday World as “Theft case filed against Samro CEO, CFO for bankrolling book launch”, was meant to be a hammer blow against alleged corruption at the top of SAMRO. The case was opened by Tebogo Sithathu last year in October. The Chairperson of Artists United, Owen Ndlovu drafted the affidavit. Artists stood united behind it. Then Sithathu went rogue.

Ndlovu dropped the hammer in viral video

Last week, an enraged Ndlovu released a video that pulled no punches:

“I want to show you that Tebogo is a liar. He has sold you out. It’s just that whenever I expose him, you think I’m being personal. But today I am going to show you the evidence."

"Last year we opened criminal cases at Hillbrow police station, but Tebogo went behind our backs and closed those cases. He told the police there was no longer any interest in the matter. But this was never his case, I typed the affidavit and he merely put his signature on it,” he said.

"While we are trying to hold SAMRO accountable, Tebogo is busy closing these cases. He claims he’s doing it for ‘goodwill’ between SAMRO and the artists," Ndlovu said.

The smoking gun: Sithathu’s own damning text message

In a damning communication to Ndlovu, Sithathu explicitly admitted that the withdrawal was requested by a high-ranking official (whose name is known to the Public Dispatch ) as a "show of goodwill." The message reads:

“A blessed wonderful good morning to you and your family, Gatsheni. I thought that [name withheld] 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.”

There it is, in black and white. Not God. Not conscience. A third party pulling strings.

Portia lays bare Sithathu’s true character

Portia Ndlovu also from AU did not hold back, she leveled explosive allegations of administrative sabotage, claiming Sithathu acted as a double agent by obtaining and leaking sensitive legal documents belonging to former COO Mpho Mofikoe. she said:

“This happened shortly after Mpho was suspended. The lawyer that was used by Mpho was actually suggested by Sithathu. The lawyer leaked the documents to Sithathu and Sithathu leaked those documents to the members. Sithathu has been exposed that he is actually in bed with SAMRO. If he can set Mpho like that what else can he do.”

Sithathu’s weak defence: forgiveness, hijacking and “Propaganda bullshit”

In a long-winded reply, Sithathu tried to flip the script, claiming he was never really part of Artists United. He accused Ndlovu of hijacking the movement, and insisted the withdrawal was an act of Christian forgiveness. He even turned the document leak accusation back on Ndlovu, calling it “propaganda bullshit”.

But the text message tells a different story.

The cartel is real

"We are dealing with a criminal cartel. We’ve seen this before in the Madlanda Commission, cases opened to satisfy the public and then quietly killed in the dark. Sithathu didn’t just drop a case; he became part of the machinery that protects the bosses. He defeated the ends of justice and abused the public funds and he must face the law for that," fumed Ndlovu.

The fallout has been swift. AU has formally purged Sithathu from its ranks, labeling him a criminal element that contaminated the movement.

Ndlovu has had enough. The movement is now preparing a full dossier for the KZN Provincial Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi who has also been appointed to fight organised crime nationally.

“We’ve already fired two people for corruption and one of them is Sithathu… AU cannot be contaminated… AU was formed to get rid of all the people who are implicated in corruption and the Fundudzi forensic report,” he said.

The message from Ndlovu is crystal clear:

"We are now preparing all the files for Mkhwanazi. We are going to be the first to hand over evidence of how these cartels operate in Gauteng. If Sithathu thinks he can kill a case behind our backs and walk away, he has forgotten why we started this fight," said Ndlovu.