Controversial diamond boss Louis Liebenberg stands as MP ‘for the people’

The diamond dealer’s name did not appear on the original list of candidates to which political parties and the public could object. The deadline for this was 27 March.

Nevertheless, Louis Liebenberg has meanwhile been added to the list of candidates which the the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) will publish on 10 April.

“Louis will stand as an independent regional candidate in Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Free State,” says Dirk Lotriet, editor of Die Waarheid Media, Liebenberg’s news service. Lotriet says he is not aware of any problems with the list.

“He received 1 000 signatures for each of the provinces and paid a R40 000 deposit per province,” says Lotriet.

Partners accuse diamond dealer of running a Ponzi scheme

Rapport reports that the controversial diamond dealer is embroiled in a lawsuit after his company Tariomix was placed under provisional liquidation in the High Court in Mahikeng, North West in 2023.

Two of his former partners accuses him of running a Ponzi scheme and claimed that they had been cheated out of R3.5 million.

According to Rapport, Liebenberg headed a group of companies that operated under the banner of Forever Diamonds and Gold (FDG). Tariomix was the core company that collected about R4 billion from investors.

The scheme involved investors buying into “diamond parcels”, which Liebenberg promised to resell at high profits.

In 2023, Liebenberg told the public about his vision to fount a political party, Toekomsfront, when he appeared on the kykNET series Laataand met Rian.

According to Liebenberg, he buys, mines and sells diamonds. He apparently makes it very clear to people who do business with him that they can make or lose money. “It’s a big gamble.”

Now read: Louis Liebenberg – Zuma’s diamond moneyman on why he’s behind Msholozi till the end

‘Give the mineral wealth to the people’

Now Liebenberg stands as a regional candidate in the upcoming election and if he gets enough votes, he can become a member of parliament.

“He believes he can make a difference in the country’s problems, especially on an economic level. The best way to do this is to put the mineral wealth of the country in the hands of ordinary people.

“He has very strong relationships with Jacob Zuma of MK and Carl Niehaus of the EFF but will work with anyone to help ordinary people, said Lotriet.”

According to Lotriet, Liebenberg will start his election campaign next week.

Now read: ‘Save me from Louis Liebenberg,’ pleads ‘Loftus’ Liefling’ Derick Hougaard – report