A woman, who has been posing as a conveyancer, is being investigated for allegedly defrauding multiple people who believed they were legitimately buying property through her.
The Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA) confirmed to Sowetan that it has received five complaints against Nomakhosazana Petunia Macingwane, the CEO and director of Petu Estate, which operates from an office at Ghandi Square, Johannesburg.
The Legal Practice Council (LPC), which regulates the conduct of legal practitioners, said Macingwane was operating illegally, as she is not registered as a lawyer with the council.
PPRA CEO Thato Ramaili said one of the five complaints against Macingwane was at the final stage of investigation.
LPC spokesperson Kabelo Letebele said: “We have no record of a legal practitioner by the name of Nomakhosazana Petunia Macingwane. All legal practitioners [lawyers] are on our database [including conveyancers], if they have been duly admitted by a high court as required by law. If they are not on our database, they are not legal practitioners.”
Macingwane, who calls herself a lawyer, admitted to Sowetan that she was not registered with the LPC but only with the PPRA. However, Letebele said acting as a lawyer without being admitted was misrepresentation, which was a criminal offence.
Macingwane also denied allegations of theft from her clients.
One of Macingwane’s alleged victims, Bafana Mbundwini, 45, bought a house in Protea Glen through her in January 2022. The property had been advertised for sale at R180,000 on Property24.
Mbundwini contacted the agent listed on the advert, Sello Morajane, who then linked him with Macingwane, who took over the transaction.
“I went to view the house and I was happy with it,” Mbundwini said.
He said he was told the house had been repossessed and he then met Macingwane, who advised him to make the R180,000 payment into another person’s bank account.
“She promised to send me the title deed within three months.”
She promised to send me the title deed within three months.”
Mbundwini said he moved into the house with his family while waiting for the title deed.
However, months later, while scrolling through social media, he saw the same house being advertised again. He contacted the agent listed on the new advert to enquire.
Mbundwini said he was told that the property belonged to someone else and that whoever was occupying it had been renting it.
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He and his family were later evicted from the house by the legitimate owner.
Mbundwini then opened a fraud case with the police against Macingwane, who later promised to repay him.
In October 2022, she paid back R80,000. He later received R30,000, apparently from the agent Morajane. He is still owed R70,000.
Macingwane later sent Mbundwini a confirmation of payment document in May 2023, in which she stated that she would pay the outstanding amount, claiming that Morajane had given Petu Estate fraudulent documents relating to the property.
“The agent Sello [Morajane] has false information that the property is for sale while it is for rental purposes. Petu Estate did a deed search for the property. The property was not for sale but for rent,” the letter read.
Another alleged victim, Tshegofatso Namame, said she paid R250,000 into Macingwane’s bank account for a property in Protea Glen which she did not eventually occupy.
The property was also advertised on Property24 by Morajane.
“I found out that the house was under repo and was sold by somebody else for R640,000. I then asked for my money back.”
She said Macingwane has only reimbursed her R10,000.
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Nokuthula Kgoadi and her husband paid R700,000 into Macingwane’s bank account in October for a house in Bramley. They found out later that the property was not fully owned by the so-called sellers, she said.
The couple opened a case with the police and the PPRA.
Macingwane sent Sowetan a WhatsApp voice note denying the allegations.
“I am not the one who comes with the property, as they say I scam. I don’t do that. It is so painful as a black woman; everybody blames me,” she said.
Macingwane claimed some of the alleged victims decided to cancel the sale, saying it was taking too long.
“It was not fraud; it was not a scam. It was legit. I don’t understand what they are saying. It is so painful,” Macigwane said.
Sowetan also visited Macingwane at her offices this week, where she admitted to receiving some of the cash in her bank account. She said she has been planning on settling the debt.
She then blamed agents and the supposed sellers, saying they should also be questioned.
Meanwhile, Morajane said: “If it is a scam, then why [is] Mbundwini paid? I am busy. Sales have been bad for the past two years; that is why I am failing to finish [paying Mbundwini].”
On Tuesday, Macingwane sent a WhatsApp to Sowetan threatening the publication with a lawsuit should it go ahead with the story. She had served no court papers at the time of publication of this article.
Sowetan
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