Thrrr…Phaaa: Musician Selaelo Selota’s Mercedes frozen as SIU probes misuse of lottery funds

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a preservation order from the Special Tribunal against renowned musician Selaelo Selota.

The order prevents the Thrrr…Phaaa! singer from selling or disposing of a Mercedes-Benz C200 Avantgarde, allegedly purchased with misappropriated funds from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC).

The funds were meant to build an old-age home and provide elderly care in different provinces.

The SIU’s investigation found that three Non-Profit Organisation (NPOs); the Matieni Community Centre, Lethabong Old Age Home and War Against Rape and Abuse (WAR RNA) received NLC grants under suspicious circumstances.

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The NPOs

On 11 September 2017, Matieni Community Centre submitted an application for R20 million for elderly care, and two days later, the adjudication committee granted the NPO R23 million, three million more than the initially requested amount.

On 16 October, the NLC deposited R20 million into the Matieni Community Centre’s bank account. However, in the following month, the NPO transferred R5.975 million to the Mbidzo Development Programme.

#LOTTOHEIST| The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a preservation order from the Special Tribunal against Mr. Selaelo Phillemon Selota, restraining him from selling or disposing of a Mercedes-Benz C200 Avantgarde allegedly purchased with misappropriated funds from the… pic.twitter.com/o7Vjzced8u

— Special Investigating Unit (SIU) (@RSASIU) May 23, 2025

Similarly, the Lethabong Old Age Home submitted a funding application in September 2017 to build an old age home in Kuruman, Northern Cape.

Their submission was accepted, and 23 million was deposited into Lethabong Old Age Home’s bank account in October of the same year.

The NPO transferred R15 million to the Mbidzo Development Programme in just under a month.

Ironically, on the same day that Matieni Community Centre applied for funding, WAR RNA did the same, requesting just over R20 million to provide care for the elderly in the North West.

WAR RNA received the requested funding when the NLC deposited R20 million into the NPO’s bank account. However, nearly two months later, in December, WAR RNA also transferred R5 million to the Mbidzo Development Programme.

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Selaelo Selota’s Mercedes

According to the SIU, in January 2018, Mbidzo deposited R104,600.01 to a car dealership to purchase a Mercedes-Benz.

“Subsequently, on 23 January 2018, Mbidzo paid the remaining R300,000 to finalise the transaction. The vehicle was registered to Selota shortly after,” reads a statement by the SIU.

The Special Tribunal’s preservation order forms part of the implementation of the SIU’s investigation findings and consequence management, which aim to recover financial losses incurred by state institutions due to corruption or negligence.

The order forms part of a broader investigation into corruption involving NLC grants intended for community development projects.

The Citizen sent questions to Selota; at the time of publishing, no response was received.

However, when news broke of the SIU’s investigation earlier this month, Selota told City Press that he was unaware of the allegations against him.

“I’m hearing those allegations for the first time; I don’t know anything about an offer to purchase a Mercedes-Benz,” he said at the time.

However, in the same interview, he confirmed that the SIU had invited him to its head office for questioning.

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