The management of 12 on Hillel Villa and Spa has released a statement clarifying that media personality and DJ Lerato Kganyago has no operational, managerial or ownership involvement in the hotel.
“The Hotel notes with concern that media commentary has directed criticism toward Mrs Lerato Kganyago, despite her having no operational, managerial, or ownership involvement in the Hotel.
“The Hotel emphasises that Ms Kganyago is not associated with the business operations of the Hotel and should not be drawn into or implicated in these matters without a factual basis.”
This comes after Witness A’s testimony at the Madlanga Commission on Monday about a party that happened at what he described as “the white house on the hill”, which created a social media frenzy around the Metro FM presenter and her husband’s business affairs.
The hotel first came into the spotlight in 2022 when Kganyago, on Valentine’s Day, revealed the hotel on Instagram, which also has a restaurant called Amour.
At the time, it was made to appear that her husband, businessman Thami Ndlela, who always surprises her with over-the-top gifts, had gifted her the hotel. It was later clarified that Kganyago is, in fact, the owner of Amour restaurant as well as part-owner of the 12 On Hillel property.
The hotel also addressed the claims made that the owner of the property is Vusi “Ndlala”, as has been widely reported in media accounts of the commission’s hearings.
“Mr Vusi is neither involved in the management, operation, or administration of the Hotel in any capacity. The Hotel has no record of him serving as director, manager, employee, agent, or representative of the property.
“To the hotel’s knowledge and on the basis of its guest register and records, the individual referenced in testimony at the Commission is in fact a guest at the Hotel under the name “Vusi Makhubela”, reflecting our internal identity records.”
Witness A, a serving officer in the organised crime unit, told the commission that in May 2024, after the murder of Armand Swart, an engineer believed to be a whistleblower, he was invited by a colleague, Vusi Ndlala, to a party at what he described as “the white house on the hill”.
Social media users have taken to their timelines to question Kganyago’s luxurious lifestyle, with her husband’s property being mentioned in the commission.
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