Siblings’ insurance scandal leaves South Africans gobsmacked

November 15, 2024 363

The case of the siblings accused of insurance fraud for allegedly taking out funeral policies for Noem My Skollie actor, David Manuel, has sent shockwaves across the country.

Wanda and Sindiswa Mbele were arrested on Tuesday and charged with fraud and money laundering.

They are accused of taking out funeral policies in Manuel’s name.

The brother and sister appeared in the Athlone Magistrates Court on Thursday after allegedly claiming that they were cousins of deceased actor to secure funeral policies and doubling payouts.

Manuel, and his friend, Alfonso Fisher, were killed on October 8 in Manuel’s home in, Gugulethu. The actor lived across the road from the siblings.

Manuel played the role of the 28s prison gang leader, Freddy Gum, in the 2016 movie.

According to the state, the accused took out a life policy for three people, who they were not related to.

It’s alleged that they amended insurance policies to pay double in the event of accidental death, just three days before Manuel’s tragic passing.

After Manuel’s death, the siblings then cashed in policies, with Wanda receiving R60 000 and his sister getting R50 000, which they allegedly used to buy furniture.

To make matters worse, Wanda, who is accused 1 in the matter, had even at some stage taken to social media asking about the delayed payouts from one of the banks, where he tagged journalists, news channels and political parties.

They will be back in court next Thursday to apply for bail.

Authorities have, however, not ruled out the possibility of more arrests.

This case is one of the several cases of insurance killings that have left South Africans gobsmacked. The most notorious and feared insurance killer is Rosemary Ndlovu, who killed six people, including her live-in partner and five of her relatives between 2012 and 2018.

Despite the shock over the shenanigans of the siblings, some social media users weren’t fazed, saying what they allegedly did is common practice in Gugulethu.

Wanda Mbele’s big ass head thought he wouldn’t be caught after doing a social media run cause he rushed the results of his fraud crime pic.twitter.com/x8RunEwRnz

— ?????? (@zigzag231) November 14, 2024

Couldn’t they at least ke take out 1mil, 100k combined for life insurance of a person?

— ???????? ????????_?????????????? (@Ihhashi_Turkei) November 15, 2024

He even went on LinkedIn ??https://t.co/22qY1arsTB) pic.twitter.com/ECmBZtdk3y

— Trdr_07 (@allmightyzar) November 15, 2024

How did they know,he would be shot 3 days later..

— Thabo (@Thabo_RSA) November 15, 2024

Getting arrested for R110k is wild.

— IBUTHO (@Mtshali_Nkanyis) November 15, 2024

oh this is quite common in Gugulethu, when my friend’s mom passed the entire street had taken funeral policies for her. He had to go and make an affidavit disputing the claims. https://t.co/zf8ZqSO8gT

— ???? (@6uhle) November 14, 2024

I ve been living with kidney decease and I have been on dialysis for 14 years,most of my family are not talking to me,I suspect is because they are paying insurance policies and I m not dying.

— Observer (@ManMan1479705) November 15, 2024

I’m actually confused as to why so many people find this shocking, esp Cape Townians. We all know Gugulethu and its people.

— Naye/Nabo (@NandiphaKay) November 14, 2024

It’s common everywhere, even those who can’t afford the formal ones register people they are not even related to ko those “village societies”.

— Tshepy Matloga-Malope ???????? (@tshepy) November 15, 2024

So basically Insurance companies will collect premiums and investigate only when it’s time to pay up. That’s being complicit on the part of Insurance Companies and needs to stop.

— “Kissin’ pink” ?? (@londid53) November 15, 2024