Arthur Mafokate | Picture: Screenshot
A clip from an interview featuring disgraced Kwaito legend Arthur Mafokate has seen the superstar-turned-businessman mocked for his dramatic reaction to a question about the recent allegations levelled against him.
The video posted on his YouTube account was conducted by Danny Mdluli who interviewed the South African Arts and Development Association (Saada) director in a show called ‘Set The Record Straight.’ Many admitted on social media that they had not heard of the show before the viral clip.
The interview was preceded by an ad for his organisation accompanied by a number of testimonials by young people who swear the organisation changed their lives.
A clip of Mafokate’s young ex-girlfriend Busisiwe ‘Cici’ Twala was also included in the testimonials section of the video and one of her hit songs was even used in the video.
During the interview, the pair spend a significant amount of time tracing Mafokate’s history in the music business before diving into the origins of Saada.
The business in question was named in an investigation that saw the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has receive the greenlight to freeze luxury properties linked to fraud and corruption at the National Lotteries Commission (NLC).
The properties include Kwaito legend Arthur Mafokate’s luxury property in Midrand, as well as a Cape Town property belonging to former NLC legal representative Lesley Ramulifho.
They were bought using grant money from the NLC meant for community development projects, according to the SIU.
Arthur claimed that it was “shocking, disappointing and sad to see people writing what they wrote. ‘You actually took money and you went to buy property, you didn’t do anything for development.’”
When asked why he is only speaking now, he said that he kept quiet because he doesn’t like “competing” with the media.
ALSO READ: SIU freezes properties linked to ex-Lotteries boss, Kwaito legend Arthur Mafokate
He then recalled how he tried to become a journalist when he was younger, to no avail, even going so far as to call himself a “failed journalist” who has insight into just how desperately the media “needs the news.”
“Sometimes, I let you have the news but then the problem is when it’s defaming, it’s damaging, it’s hurting your family, it’s hurting your supporters, it’s hurting everybody.”
“I’ve got clients that are worried about my image.”
Arthur further explained that he decided that he needed to speak out after his 10-year-old daughter questioned him about the allegations following some chatter at school by her peers.
He also tried to explain, though not too clearly, “where the money went.”
An hour into the interview, Mdluli asked what had shocked him the most about the reports regarding his involvement in the scandal.
He then proceeded to breathe heavily, shaking his head and shuffling about in his seat while looking pensively at the ground.
It is this clip that was screen recorded and shared on Twitter, much to the amusement of social media users who skewered him and Mdluli for the interview.
Arthur maintains that the allegations are “lies” and implored the media to not destroy his life and his business as he employs many people. He didn’t seem to have much to say about the law enforcement authorities that had conducted the investigations and saw it fit to seize his assets.
He called himself a law-abiding citizen who respects the work of the SIU and refused to “say anything” pending the outcome of the SIU’s investigations.
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