News24 The Lead

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

‘Cat’ Matlala tried to open an ultra-lux OR Tambo airport terminal

When the “Cat” wasn’t sneaking his way into the heart of police operations, the controversial tender don was also trying to build a private international airport terminal with Nedbank’s financing help. Investigative journalist Jeff Wicks details yet another failed venture by Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. Later, in our trending topic, a…
15 Jan 18 min

Is the ‘prime lending rate’ just a load of BS?

Is the so-called “prime lending rate” – the fancifully advertised rate that banks use as a reference or pegging point to sell bonds and loans to us – just a giant load of untested BS? Why is it 350 basis points more than our much-deserved low repo rate, and isn’t…
14 Jan 25 min

Everything you need to know about the 2025 matric results

Back to school, back to reality… With schools about to reopen, senior education journalist Prega Govender takes stock of the 2025 matric results. Think of it like a scale: on one end, a greater average pass rate, while on the other, fewer pupils are taking critical subjects like standard maths…
13 Jan 32 min

Is KZN’s paper-thin coalition on the rocks?

Provincial coalition politics in KwaZulu-Natal are on shaky, uncertain ground, with the small kingmaker National Freedom Party trying to call the shots, threatening to pull out of the IFP, ANC, and DA government of provincial unity, leaving the MKP rubbing its hands. Our man in Durban, Soyiso Maliti, reports the…
12 Jan 25 min

Should SA get involved in the US-Venezuela crisis?

While the SACP marched on the US Embassy in Pretoria on Thursday to denounce the Trump administration’s abduction of another sitting head of state, the political parties that make up the current government of national unity (GNU) failed to see eye-to-eye on how best to react to the US-Venezuela crisis…
8 Jan 29 min
All episodes