Three former South African cricketers, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Thamsanqa Tsolekile, and Ethy Mbhalati, have been arrested in connection with the 2015/2016 T20 Ram Slam Challenge match-fixing scandal. The arrests were made by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, following a detailed investigation sparked by a whistleblower’s report in October 2016.
Mbhalati was the first to be arrested, on November 18, while Tsolekile and Tsotsobe were apprehended on November 28 and November 29, respectively. The investigation, led by the DPCI’s Serious Corruption Investigation unit, followed suspicions raised by Cricket South Africa’s anti-corruption officer regarding former South African player Gulam Bodi’s involvement in match-fixing.
The case centers around Bodi’s conspiracy with Indian bookmakers, where he allegedly approached players to manipulate three T20 Ram Slam matches. In July 2018, Bodi was arrested and subsequently pled guilty to eight counts of corruption, resulting in a five-year prison sentence in October 2019.
The latest arrests follow a series of related actions in the ongoing probe. Jean Symes, another player implicated in the scandal, was arrested in May 2021 and pleaded guilty to one count of corruption. He was sentenced to four years, wholly suspended for five years. Similarly, Pumi Matshikwe was arrested in February 2022 on similar charges and was handed a six-year sentence, also suspended for five years.
The three former players arrested this week face five counts of corruption under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA), 2004. Mbhalati appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on November 18, with his case postponed to February 20, 2025, for further instructions. Tsolekile and Tsotsobe’s cases were heard on November 29, and their hearings were postponed until February 26, 2025, for disclosure.
Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, the national head of the DPCI, reiterated the importance of upholding the integrity of sport, saying, “Corruption undermines the integrity of sport. The Hawks are committed to upholding fairness and professionalism in all spheres of society. We thank Cricket South Africa for their cooperation and commitment to addressing this scourge.”
The match-fixing scandal, which rocked South African cricket in 2015 and 2016, has continued to surface years later, with authorities determined to bring those involved to justice.
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