amaBhungane | Delinquent soccer club boss seeks to revive $1bn gas deal with PetroSA | News24
Fact-Check Results
“Businessman Shumani Lawrence Mulaudzi has resurrected his liquidated company in the hope of saving a $1.2 billion gas infrastructure deal with state-owned PetroSA.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm or refute claims about company revival and PetroSA deal.
“Equator Holdings was liquidated in March 2024 for failing to pay a R725 000 debt to a soccer player on Mulaudzi’s football club, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify liquidation cause or timeline.
“Mulaudzi offered contradictory statements under oath and then entered into a cash settlement to make the case go away.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm sworn statements or settlement details.
“A damning draft PetroSA internal audit report found that the decision to award the $1.2 billion contract to Equator was riddled with irregularities.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify existence of the audit report or its findings.
“In December 2023, Shumani Lawrence Mulaudzi signed a $1.2 billion (R20 billion) deal with state-owned PetroSA.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm signing of the deal or timeline.
“Equator was liquidated for failing to pay a R725 000 debt to a First Division soccer player.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify liquidation cause or debt details.
“The liquidation application had been granted without his knowledge, and the sheriff left papers at a construction site.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm liquidation process or document handling.
“Mulaudzi learned about the liquidation on 25 July 2024 via an article by Susan Comrie of amaBhungane.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify awareness method or timeline.
“PetroSA’s new CEO moved to cancel his contract.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm CEO actions or contract status.
“Mulaudzi’s story offered under oath was questioned, leading to a cash settlement with the soccer player and liquidators.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify legal challenges or settlement outcomes.
“The NSL ruled that Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila Football Club owed Cheslyn Jampies R725 000 in damages.”
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PENDING
“The liquidation of Equator Holdings was reversed by the High Court on 23 October 2025.”
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PENDING
“An email signed by Mulaudzi stated that Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila Football Club's legal name was Equator.”
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PENDING
“Mulaudzi blamed the club's relegation for the failure to pay debts.”
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PENDING
“NSL records showed Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila Football Club's legal entity was Equator Holdings.”
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PENDING