‘I’m not running away’ – Louis Liebenberg
GAUTENG diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg, who is no stranger to controversy, paid a surprise visit to the Hawks’ provincial office in Kimberley this week, to tell them that he was not “running away”.
The head of the provincial Hawks, Major-General Steve Mabuela, was however not available to welcome Liebenberg to his offices on September 6.
Liebenberg was in Kimberley after he instituted a R5 million defamation lawsuit against DA MP Veronica van Dyk for “false and malicious” statements on a Facebook post on July 14, 2020, that alleged he was running an illegal Ponzi scheme.
He told provincial Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Tebogo Thebe that he wanted to extend his regards to the provincial head, to dispel media reports that he was trying to evade the authorities.
“Do you know who I am? I am well known and I am all over the papers. The media reported that everyone is looking for me and I can’t be found. I am not running anywhere. This is my first time in Kimberley. I am here to tell the Hawks provincial head, Major-General Mabuela, Detective Lieutenant Danie Bruwer, or anyone who is on my case, that I am here. I have sent numerous WhatsApp messages to them.”
Liebenberg added that he was constantly being accused in the media of surrounding himself with friends such as former president Jacob Zuma and Dali Mpofu.
“I don’t mind an investigation and I am confronting whatever I need to face.”
Thebe stated that the Hawks were involved in ongoing investigations against Liebenberg in the Northern Cape, dating back to two to three years.
He was unable to give more details about the charges that were under investigation but indicated that no arrests were pending at this stage.
“If we were looking for him, we would have executed an arrest. We were surprised to see him at our offices,” said Thebe.
“Unfortunately, the provincial head of the Hawks was not available to see him on Wednesday. He was attending to other high-profile cases in the Province where people travelled from far away to see him. It is difficult to see the general without an appointment. We advised Liebenberg to leave his contact details with his secretary.”
A recent insolvency inquiry found that former president Zuma should pay back the legal fees funded by Liebenberg, who reportedly contributed R3.2 million through his company, Tariomix, to bankroll a private prosecution instituted against journalist Karyn Maughan and State advocate Billy Downer as well as Zuma’s case against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
He also gave two Nguni cows as gifts to Zuma in 2022.
Liebenberg called for the removal of the commissioner of the inquiry, Eberhard Bertelsmann, after he implied that the funds were sourced from “stolen money” through a Ponzi-like scheme.
Tariomix was placed under provisional liquidation in early 2023, due to outstanding payments to clients.