Avatar photo

By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


Model Mbalula ‘rescued’ allegedly lied about sex trafficking claim – report

The police minister held a press conference to announce the success of his interventions, but he apparently only saved her from a lack of 'proper accommodation'.


The young model who was allegedly rescued from sex traffickers in Malaysia, Princess Mahlangu, allegedly concocted the whole story – apparently as a way to get home.

It was originally reported that the young woman was supposedly lured by a fake online beauty pageant, but it appears she was informed by the organiser that the pageant had been cancelled but she decided to travel to Malaysia anyway to “avoid embarrassment”, apparently because she had been tweeting about it a lot.

Later, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula appeared to take a huge personal interest in her case, and allegedly even paid the costs for her return flight home on Sunday from the Far East from his personal funds.

At the time when he announced her “rescue” at a press conference, there was already dispute that Mahlangu, a 24-year-old aspiring beauty queen and model from Bloemfontein, was telling the truth. Mbalula, however, was adamant on TV news that the young woman was telling the truth.

A police source, however, told the tabloid that “there were no elements of crime in the case”.

“When she [Mahlangu] got there, she did not have proper accommodation. So she decided to lie to the police that she was being trafficked,” according to an unnamed police source.

Pageant organiser Tare Munzara was quoted as saying that he had been “shocked” at Mahlangu’s claims that he may have been involved in sex trafficking.

“I lost a lot of business deals because of Princess’s false claims.”

Mbalula’s spokesperson told the tabloid no case was actually ever opened to investigate the matter. Other sources, however, said it had been opened but was subsequently closed. Sunday World reported that it had seen documents showing the Hawks had been handling the case.

The paper could not obtain comment from Mahlangu, who Sunday World says is now being investigated for her claims.

ALSO READ:

//

Read more on these topics

Fikile Mbalula

For more news your way

Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.