DJ feared Joubert would attack journalists

A DJ has claimed that he refrained from inviting the Daily Dispatch to an event at sangoma killer Fritz Joubert’s smallholding to protect the journalists from possible harm.

East London artist Zwelihle “DJ Zwesta” Mathe, who had dinner with Joubert and sangoma Anele Hoyana at Joubert’s house in Brakfontein near Gonubie six nights before the killing, said they had argued over how an upcoming traditional ceremony would be conducted.

Mathe said he defied Joubert’s order to call the media to cover the sangoma traditional ceremony.

The Dispatch  received an invitation to the launch of a commercial predator breeding project at Joubert’s property on November 27.

But Mathe said it would not have been safe for reporters to visit the farm.

“I decided against calling the journalists as I noticed Fritz was going to harm any journalist who might ask negative questions. They stressed they didn’t need an unfriendly media, especially the Daily Dispatch, who had written negative stories on Fritz before.”

The Dispatch had visited Joubert’s farm several times to report on an ongoing dispute between Joubert and neighbour Victor Badenhorst. The two opened some 30 cases against each other over several years.

On Sunday, Badenhorst told the Dispatch he'd felt forced to sell his farm and flee after receiving death threats from Joubert.

Detailing further aspects of the dinner, Mathe said at one point Joubert became angry and cut his finger. He then smeared  blood over his face and asked to take a selfie with Mathe.

Mathe said this came after he called Joubert out for touching his girlfriend inappropriately.

Mathe said Joubert had invited him to his home to ask him to perform at his ceremony, and also tasked him to invite media for the event.

“I told him I did not have a car to drive from East London to his farm so he came with Anele to fetch me and my girlfriend. We had dinner at his house and he started touching my girlfriend inappropriately. I told him that as much as we were his guests, he was crossing the line.”

Mathe said Joubert apologised but justified his conduct by saying it was part of his “white culture”.

“I asked my girlfriend to let it go at the time as I could see he was capable of anything. Everything went back to normal. We had supper as he continued drinking. He had three conflicts with Anele on how to conduct their Xhosa thing, which was going to happen on Wednesday or Thursday, when they needed me.”

Mathe said afterwards, Joubert refused to drive them back to East London. “The cash he had, he burnt it in my face, more than R1,000, which he had earlier said he was going to use to call a cab. He started throwing tantrums about why we complained with my girlfriend for being touchy, banging his table until he cut his finger, which started bleeding badly. He was sitting next to me holding my shoulder with that bleeding hand. He made me take selfies with him and also smeared his face with blood.”

malibongwed@dispatch.co.za