Left: Lwazi Cele, who is accused of refusing to share winnings. Right: Show presenter Rorisang Thandekiso. Pictures: Screenshots/Instagram/@ wheeloffortune_sa
A contestant from S3’s Wheel of Fortune South Africa has accused a fellow participant of refusing to share their winnings after the trio won a car worth R180,000.
Courtney Mthethwa, known by her stage name XXC Legacy, entered the competition along with Sanele “Skhindi” Ngcobo and Lwazi Cele, forming a team of three in an episode aired last month.
Mthethwa claims that Cele has since sold the car for R170,000. She added that the car was registered in Cele’s name, as per the agreement they had made as a group.
“When I contacted the production company, they confirmed that the car was legally in Lwazi’s name, which we were aware of and fine with. But they also said it was his responsibility to update us. That’s when I found out he had already sold the car for R170,000 and kept the money,” she said.
Mthethwa added that when they tried to contact Cele, who has since cut off communication with both her and Ngcobo, he made it clear he was not willing to share the money.
“[He made] it crystal clear that he isn’t going to split anything and that the money is ‘his’.”
“To say I feel defeated is an understatement. I can’t imagine anyone letting R170,000 just slide.”
Mthethwa said she feels scammed and betrayed by Cele, adding that the money would have been life-changing for them.
“I entered the show with the belief that competing as a group would increase our chances of winning. We were thrilled when we won the car and had agreed to split the prize three ways. This money would have been life-changing for all of us.
“This was supposed to be a breakthrough for all of us. I was the one who entered us into the show, believing we could win. To have someone turn their back on that agreement is heartbreaking.
“He has taken advantage of the situation and betrayed us. It’s heartbreaking. I feel completely scammed,” said Mthethwa.
Efforts to contact Cele have been unsuccessful, as his number goes straight to voicemail, and he has since made his social media platforms private.
Speaking to The Citizen, Charl Marais, a producer from Homebrew Films —the company that produces Wheel of Fortune South Africa, said they are aware of the dispute.
However, he said it is not their responsibility to resolve the issue, as it involves a personal agreement.
“At the start of the episode, the contestants Courtney Mthethwa, Sanele Skhindi Ngcobo, and Lwazi Cele expressed an agreement on air to split any winnings as a way to support their careers. This theme of teamwork was carried throughout the episode.
“From the production’s perspective, the prize distribution followed the show’s established rules and format. Any personal agreements between contestants are independent of the show and outside the control or responsibility of the production,” he said.
He added that all contestants sign contracts before participating, which explains how the game and prize distribution work.
“The production strictly adheres to these rules, as governed by the show’s format,” he added.
Marais said the production team has not intervened as this is a “private matter between the contestants and is outside the scope of the show and its operations.”
He added: “Our role is to ensure that the game is conducted in strict accordance with the rules and guidelines of the show format, which were fully adhered to during this episode.
“While we understand the concerns raised, any agreements made between contestants remain private and independent of the production.”
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