South Africa: Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Says Hair Sales, Not Illicit Funds, Triggered Capitec Compliance Check

10 February 2026
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Andisa Bonani

Facing accusations from former Good party regional chair Siyanda Mayana, Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Babalwa Lobishe insists her bank account was frozen for compliance reasons, not corruption, as she seeks legal action against defamation.

Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Babalwa Lobishe has approached the Gqeberha High Court to interdict former Good party regional chair Siyanda Mayana over claims that her bank account was frozen because of alleged illicit funds.

The case, originally scheduled for Tuesday, 10 February, has been postponed to Friday after Mayana's lawyers requested more time to prepare their response.

While Lobishe says the claims constitute defamation, Mayana said on Tuesday that he stands by his claims but has been advised by his legal team to not to speak further on the matter.

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Mayana posted on his Facebook account in January that Lobishe's Capitec Bank account had been frozen in December because of illicit funds that had allegedly been deposited in her account.

He later registered an inquiry for investigation with the Hawks, to probe the reasons for the freezing of her account and the source of the funds, which he claims were from the ANC's headquarters, Luthuli House.

Mayana also accuses Lobishe of leasing a R25-million municipal transformer to a private company Coega Steels, without a council resolution and after she was advised against the move by the metro's chief executive officer, Jackson Ngcelwane, last year.

The transformer matter is currently in...

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