Imibuzo episode 6 recap: Mad Mani millions!

On 1 June 2017, IntelliMali, the financial distribution company that handles National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) payouts, deposited R1 400 into the student support account card belonging to Sibongile Mani, then a 27-year-old second-year accountancy student at Walter Sisulu University (WSU). The system was feeling generous that day, and it sprinkled in a handful of zeros, leaving Sibongile with a balance of R14 million. At 2:55 pm that same day, she started spending. Two hours later, R20 000 was gone. By the time Intellimali finally picked up the error and blocked the card 76 days later, Sibongile had blown through R818 469. Her shopping spree landed her with a five-year prison sentence in February 2022. Now Imibuzo chats with journalists Malibongwe Dayimani, Bhongo Jacob, Ziyanda Zweni, and Olwethu Xabanisa, and High Court advocate Michael Matlapeng, about what Sibongile bought, how a grocery shopping receipt for R68.05 went viral, and why her case divided South Africa.  

Recap: What happened in Imibuzo episode 1 

Recap: What happened in Imibuzo episode 2 

Recap: What happened in Imibuzo episode 3 

Recap: What happened in Imibuzo episode 4 

Recap: What happened in Imibuzo episode 5 

Watch the trailer for Imibuzo 

14 million betrayals 

In 2017, Walter Sisulu University was granted R100 million from the Department of Higher Education and Training through NSFAS, which they distributed to 3 500 students in need as a monthly allowance on their IntelliMali debit cards. Each qualifying student was granted R1 400 to cover basic living expenses (rent and res fees were covered separately). According to Malibongwe Dayimani, Sibongile’s “windfall” happened at a time when the students were already protesting funding shortages. “Walter Sisulu University was brought to its knees by student protests due to shortage of NSFAS funding and here there was this student who had R14 million in her bank account. So you can imagine the outrage from the student community,” he notes.

Sibongile Mani was aware of how NSFAS worked, how difficult it was for students to even qualify for the grants in the first place, and how desperately that support was needed to cover the gap between education and starvation. As a single mother from a poor background, with two children aged 10 and 13, Sibongile’s family depended on her grandmother’s social grant while she was studying. And at university, she was an activist. “She was always there, helping other people who were in a similar situation where they were struggling with food, even in res. She was always willing to help others. She was on the ground as a student activist,” says journalist Ziyanda Zweni.  

Sibongile’s shopping list 

Sibongile’s IntelliMali card was only meant to supplement her food expenses for the month. But on 9 July 2017, when Sibongile posted her receipt for R68.05 from the Southernwood Spar in East London, the snap went viral. It showed an outstanding balance on her card of R13 659 249,13 (thirteen million, six hundred and fifty nine thousand, two hundred and forty nine Rand and thirteen cents).  

During Sibongile’s spree a pattern of frantic, countrywide buying emerged, covering 48 different retailers. On 3 June, Sibongile tapped her card in East London, Komani, Thembalethu and Mthatha. On 9 June she bought in East London, Komani and Centurion. And on 11 June in East London, Centurion, Benoni Lake.  

“On a daily basis she’ll be out there in the shops. Whether in Joburg or East London, buying things like appliances, microwaves, hair straighteners, men’s clothes, even weaves,” says Ziyanda Zweni.  

Malibongwe adds, “She bought cordless kettles. She bought steam irons, eleven microwaves, eyelashes, sweet rose wine, red, dry wine. She also bought tickets to the Durban July.”  

Imibuzo just scratches the surface of Sibongile’s shopping list. Various news outlets further reported the following specifics during the trial: 

• four hair straighteners 
  
• five hairdryers 

• six steam irons 
  
• eight frying pans 
  
• eight bin items 
  
• nine bath sheets (towels) 
  
• 10 ladies’ sleep items 

• 11 microwaves 
  
• 11 blankets 
  
• 12 cordless kettles 
  
• 13 extension cords 
  
• 13 backpack trolleys 
  
• 24 jackets

This was on top of litres of alcohol, cartons of cigarettes, airtime, Checkers gift cards, a slow cooker, framed mirrors, iTunes gift cards, body shots for men, blenders, bras, cake plates, calculators, cookware, cupcake makers, cutlery, dinner sets, track tops, ladies tops, pants, shoes, eyelashes, Peruvian human hair weaves, iPhone 7s for herself and her friends (at around R12 000 each), surprise parties where alcohol like Johnnie Walker Gold (at around R700 per bottle) flowed like beer, and birthday brunches and baby showers at places like OHbrigado Champagne Bar in East London.

“A lot of people like on social media and the communities were saying, ‘Why couldn’t she at least build a proper house for and her family?’” adds journalist Bhongo Jacob. 

Sibongile the scapegoat? 

After IntelliMali finally uncovered the financial irregularity two months later – a timeline that caused considerable concern about their systems – the company laid a charge of theft against Sibongile.  

Malibongwe Dayimani reveals, “One of the three directors of IntelliMali, Mr Roy Jackson, testified in court. And advocate Luthando Makoyi who was prosecuting, asked Jackson, ‘If no one is to blame for this transfer, why did you go and open a case against Sibongile? Why did you open a criminal case?’. Jackson told the court, ‘We lost a lot of money. Not only did we have to reimburse Walter Sisulu University the R818 000 which was spent by Sibongile, but we hired Ernst & Young auditors at a cost of R500 000 to launch an investigation that ended up being inconclusive.’ They want her punished,” he says.  

“When I spoke to the SRC members, they were saying that Sibongile should not be convicted of this crime because they felt that she was being made a scapegoat. They were saying that people who are responsible for depositing the money to your account should be the ones facing the music, not Sibongile,” says Ziyanda Zweni. 

Trial by silence 

High Court advocate Michael Matlapeng weighs in. “I saw that there were a lot of misconceptions as to how the case unfolded and how it actually was concluded by the court. And I just wanted to clear those misconceptions. There are four basic elements that must be satisfied for a successful conviction: (1) conduct, which is the act of doing something. (2) That conduct must be unlawful. (3) The conduct which is unlawful, must cause a deprivation of another person’s property. (4) That person must feel that you have taken something that does not belong to you. So those are the basic elements in the charge of theft,” he says. With the IntelliMali card tattling on Sibongile’s every purchase, conduct was easy to prove, but difficult to explain. During the court case, Michael was waiting for Sibongile to reveal what was going through her head, “But she was silent throughout the five years. She never took a stand, not even once,” he says.  

“There is R14 million that’s missing. And it went into Sibongile Mani’s account. The police should be able to satisfy themselves as to, was this intentional? Who else was supposed to be charged or investigated for that matter? In my opinion, she should not be the only person that should be investigated and taken to court and tried,” Michael insists. 

In February 2022, according to a government report, IntelliMali took “full administrative and financial responsibility” for the incident, and paid back the missing money to the NSFAS. To date, though, IntelliMali has not publicly explained the cause of the error, or the steps they have taken to avoid any similar incidents. Nor has the company explained how Sibongile was able to use her IntelliMali card to buy pretty much every single item that students are supposedly barred from purchasing with the card, including cigarettes, furniture, airline tickets, designer clothing, cellphones, appliances and alcohol. “Quite remarkably, Sibongile managed to buy every prohibited item,” points out Malibongwe Dayimani. 

Do only the poor face the law? 

Many following Sibongile’s case couldn’t help but notice that justice only ever seemed swift to stomp on the powerless. In the episode, Imibuzo displays news headlines about those in power like former Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku, former University of Johannesburg Council Chairman Roy Marcus and former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Finance Jaco Van Schoor, and ANC Women’s League President Bathabile Dlamini, who’ve been all been accused of misappropriating funds. Unlike Sibongile, though, they are still walking free.  

“I’m a firm believer that we are all equal before the law and that whoever breaks the law should account for their action. Whether you are Sibongile or a politician. So every effort should be done to ensure that person pays,” says Ziyanda Zweni. “I think it’s fair for anyone who breaks the law, to face the might of the law, regardless of who you are. But unfortunately that does not count for everyone.”  

Malibongwe Dayimani adds, “South Africans are not stupid. South Africans are annoyed by the double standards. We often report about politicians looting billions of Rands meant for the public. Looting billions meant to buy PPE, to manage Covid-19. Money meant to build bridges and fix potholes. And these politicians are not prosecuted. So I understood the anger of the public,” he says. “It was exactly because of that. They were saying, ‘Why is the justice system harsh on this poor girl?’” 

Life after theft 

Sibongile’s trial was not swift, though. She wasn’t sentenced until February 2022, as the court system worked around her schedule, both as a mother, and as a student.  

“Although she had this case, this trial that dragged for five years, she managed to acquire, firstly, a Higher Certificate in accountancy, followed by a National Diploma in Internal Auditing, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and is currently, at the moment, doing research for her Honours,” reveals Malibongwe Dayimani. “She acquired them while the case was still on, which really proves that she’s quite a fighter. She just cruised past, she just aced her studies as if she didn’t have this court case.”  

Will she be able to use that education in the financial field professionally, though, given this question mark over her record? “When she received that money, she lost her morals as a leader, as a student activist,” says journalist Bhongo Jacob. Journalist Olwethu Xabanisa adds, “I think this whole trial has affected her as an accounting student, because obviously, who’s going to trust her with their money when she has this record. Who’s going to want to give her a job and hire her?”  

The answer might surprise you.  

Sibongile is currently out of prison as the East London Regional Court has allowed her to appeal her verdict. After this episode was filmed, on 13 March 2023, news reports revealed that Sibongile had won the vote to become treasurer of the Walter Sisulu University’s (WSU) Eastern Cape alumni convocation committee.  

About Imibuzo 

Now streaming on Showmax, Imibuzo is a true-crime documentary anthology that will answer your lingering questions about some of South Africa’s biggest news stories from the last decade. New episodes will drop every Monday until 10 July 2023.  

Imibuzo is being produced by POP24, part of Media24, who made the reality series This Body Works For Me, which topped the Showmax Top 20 and Twitter trends charts. POP24 also co-produced the SAFTA-nominated true crime anthology Huisgenoot: Ware Lewensdramas. 

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