Zuma funder, diamond ‘conman’ Louis Liebenberg’s guitar, pool table under auction

Loading player...
He is accused of being one of South Africa’s best-known conmen. A larger-than-life diamond trader-turned-alleged-Ponzi scheme mastermind, the notorious Louis Liebenberg is currently languishing in a Pretoria remand prison cell. And from this week, the heavy, earth-moving construction gear Liebenberg’s mine operated out of Koingnaas in the Northern Cape will go under the hammer. The journalist breaking this story in The Lead is our very own Jan Cronje. Later, in our trending topic, is there a pre-festive season fuel pump price present under the tree this year? Finally, we reflect on the Truth and Reconcilliation Commission’s gains and setbacks with On This Day in SA History. You can send our host, broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer, a voice note with your questions or thoughts on the show: 072 562 3179. Mail us: thelead@24.com. Full editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
Chapters
  • 00:01 Graeme's intro
  • 01:42 Interview with Jan Cronje
  • 21:11 Auctioning off Liebenberg's possessions
  • 28:01 Trending topic: Fuel price drop?
  • 29:19 On This Day in SA History: TRC hearings
14 Oct 2025 English South Africa News · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

Hear from new NPA boss, and the summit births two jobs

On Day Two of News24’s On The Record jobs summit, we weigh the severe toll crime and corruption have taken on the state of South Africa, and hear from our new National Prosecuting Authority head, advocate Andy Mothibi, with News24’s investigations editor, Pieter du Toit. Later in the show, let…
20 Mar 34 min

On The Record: Hear job insights from Paton, Ramaphosa, Manuel, Kieswetter

We're a country of around 65 million people. Now, if you consider the expanded definition of unemployment in South Africa, which is nearly 43%, this equates to 12.4 million people of age who simply cannot find work right now. Of this figure, 3.7 million people in this country today are…
19 Mar 31 min

Commission continued: Same name, different stories, one rampant police crisis

From Pretoria to Parliament: we hear from two Fannies in the SAPS this Tuesday. One, a sergeant, Fannie Nkosi, who claims that national deputy top cop Shadrack Sibiya did accept gifts from alleged criminal Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. And two, national top cop, Fannie Masemola, who insists to MPs that he…
17 Mar 32 min

98 then 94, now 97% complete! Will Jozi’s forensic super lab finally open?

It's meant to revolutionise the processing time it takes to crack critical criminal cases in Gauteng. But no, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, claiming that the long-delayed forensic pathology lab in Johannesburg is a “win” during your administration feels hollow, given that it was meant to open seven years ago. Just ask…
16 Mar 20 min