Tich Mataz sued over R1m SA mansion
Paul A
Paul A
TV personality ‘Tich Mataz’ sued over R1m SA mansion
Staff Reporter
TELEVISION high-flyer Tichafa Matambanadzo, popularly known as Tich Mataz, has
landed in hot water after a South African High Court granted a default
judgment against him over a R1 million (about $6 million) debt he owes
Standard Bank on his mansion in Joha-nnesburg’s posh North-cliffe suburb.
Mataz left Zimbabwe in 1991 and became an instant hit on the South African
entertainment sce-ne, working first as a disc jockey at Radio Bophu-thatswana
in the nominally independent homeland and a compere at popular celebrity
functions.
He later moved to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in
Johannesburg where he presented popular radio programmes and did some
television sport commentaries.
Mataz purchased a po-sh R1 million house in North-cliffe Extension 15 with the
help of a loan from Standard Bank, one of South Africa’s leading commercial
banks. He also owned a club called Mataz Connection in Johannesburg’s Rosebank
suburb.
Unfortunately early last year, Mataz and his wife Penelope were deported from
South Africa on allegations that Mataz had obtained his South African identity
card using fraudulent information about his place of birth, charges which he
denies.
It seems Mataz had been managing to make his R16 000 monthly repayments on his
debt to Standard Bank until it was discovered that he was an “illegal
immigrant” in South Africa.
Standard Bank then moved to sue Mataz and his wife over the debt they owe on
the Northcliffe house. A default judgment against the two was gra-nted by the
High Court in Johannesburg last week and may result in the disposal of Mataz’s
property to offset the debt.
Mataz said yesterday that someone who wanted to purchase his Northcliffe home
had promised to pay off the bank debt but had reneged on the agreement
resulting in the legal action.
“My lawyers are now handling the issue in South Africa. It’s not a big deal,”
he told the Financial Gazette.
Mataz’s fallout with the South African authorities continued even after his
deportation when President Thabo Mbeki’s ruling African National Congress
objected when the SABC briefly engaged him as a commentator for the soccer
World Cup in France last year.
Mataz rejoined the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation upon his deportation and
is working as a part-time DJ on Radio Three and also presents programmes on
Zimbabwe Television.
He has also started an advertising and production company, Khulumani
Communications.
He said his interests were now in Zimbabwe and he had no intention of
returning to South Africa.