SELF-PROCLAIMED mining billionaire Mandla Lamba has found his way into Mzansi’s showbiz scene.
He appeared in the SABC3 business show, Market Sense, as an economic analyst last month.
The controversial businessman rose to prominence after he claimed to have become a billionaire at age 25 from interests in gold, diamond and manganese mining.
But his reputation took a beating when he was nabbed at the Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, north of Joburg, in May 2011.
At the time, he faced 15 charges of fraud, theft and culpable homicide relating to a 2007 car crash in which two people died.
He appeared in the Orlando Magistrates Court the following month but was denied bail.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson at the time, Mthunzi Mhaga, said Mandla was considered a flight risk.
In 2015, he was sentenced to a decade behind bars for culpable homicide in the Roodepoort Magistrates Court.
NPA South Gauteng spokesperson Phindi Louw reportedly said his appeal was denied as no other court would come to a different conclusion.
Before his arrest in 2011, Lamba claimed that he had obtained a doctrate in business degree at Unisa but the institution denied the claim as his profile on a business networking site claims. The university has no record of him.
Mandla then claimed he had actually obtained a PhD in “business philosophy” from the University of Liverpool – at the age of 24.
At the time of going to print, Sunday Sun could not establish when Lamba was released from prison.
Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said for him to confirm the date of release he would have to check the system.
“This won’t be an immediate thing and would take a long time,” he said.
Mandla was jailed at Krugersdorp Prison and later tranferred to Joburg Prison, commonly known as Sun City.
SABC spokesperson Vuyo Mthembu said: “It must be noted that the SABC sources commentators, experts and analysts using a variety of methods. This includes scanning other media spaces, which is the case in Mr Lamba’s case.
“We always endeavour to provide plurality of views to the public on a variety of issues we cover.
“It’s always the intention to have individuals who have knowledge on whatever topic under discussion.
“In Mr Lamba’s case, he’d be in a better position to confirm his credentials.”
Lamba could not be reached for comment. The phone number provided was on voicemail.
