South Africa: TK Nciza Chases R5 Million Over Zahara Murder Claims

4 May 2026
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
  • Thembinkosi Nciza took Bandile Magibili to court over a podcast interview where Bandile Magibili called the music boss a murderer.
  • Bandile Magibili ignored the legal papers so Thembinkosi Nciza now wants a judge to make him pay damages of R5-million.

Music boss Thembinkosi "TK" Nciza wants an arts activist to pay heavily for calling him a murderer.

Nciza is chasing Bandile Magibili for R5-million in the KuGompo City High Court.

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The fight started after an interview on Podcast and Chill with MacG last September. During the show, Magibili blamed Nciza for the death of the famous singer Zahara.

Zahara, whose real name was Bulelwa Mkutukana, died at the age of 36 in 2023.

She passed away in the hospital after struggling with liver problems. Her manager said the liver problems were linked to alcohol.

Nciza discovered Zahara in KuGompo City in 2010.

He helped start her music career through his company TS Records, which he started with Sbusiso "DJ Sbu" Leope in 2001.

Things turned sour when Zahara left the company. The two fought over money and she accused him of using her.

Now Nciza is fighting back. He says Magibili's podcast claims are lies that ruined his name.

Court papers show Nciza is angry that Magibili painted him as a criminal.

"His utterances have the effect of creating a public image that Nciza is a criminal, a murderer to be exact," the court papers said.

Nciza's lawyer, Dumisani Motsamai, said they sent Magibili a letter demanding an apology, but he ignored it.

Magibili also ignored a court summons in November. He was supposed to answer the papers by 18 February but stayed quiet.

Nciza is now asking a judge to make a final ruling and force Magibili to pay the R5-million.

Magibili has spent over 15 years running arts programmes in Sterkspruit. Zahara sang at his events before Nciza found her.

Nciza recently worked as the ANC Gauteng provincial secretary between 2022 and 2025.

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